Attack on Titan: The Story of Keith Aberdeen
by mimetrix
Summary: A spinoff of the story Attack on Titan: Pure. We follow Keith and his journey of trying to achieve some normality to his life. When things get hectic he does all that he can to try and bring things back to normal. However in the process he learns that sometimes normal isn't exactly easy to get. /forum/Attack-on-Titan-Pure-and-Keith-Aberdeen/211416/
1. The Strongest Fear the Most

The sun was shining bright in the warm summer. The streets were bustling with commotion as everyone awaited for the arrival of the magical people. Posters were everywhere featuring each star of the show. The Sidonia Circus was on its way into town. Their carriages arrived early in the afternoon as young children were excited at the sight of the smiling troupe.

As they walked through the streets, they waved at each person who was eager to see them perform. They found the open grounds where they were allowed access and began to set up camp. The stars of the show began practicing for the performance the following night as the younger cast members began setting up the tents for their extended stay.

They had finally reached the big city and were ready to perform in front of the largest crowd that they have ever performed in front of in a long time. A young blonde boy was helping out a larger taller boy tether down some ropes that held up the tents. The two were engaging in conversation with one another expressing their excitement for the show. However, neither of them were set to perform. They only acted as stage hands in the performance making sure that props and equipment were set up in their necessary spots for the top tier performers.

"You can't forget Lucy's fire this time Keith," said the taller boy wiping his forehead.

"You're one to talk Lucas. Remember when you didn't tighten the rope and Philip crashed," Keith replied flicking his wavy blonde hair.

"That was an accident."

"Still happened. You're lucky Caroline was able to help him," Keith stated firmly tightening the rope of the tent.

"Keith, Lucas I have a job for you two," came a calming voice from behind them.

A woman wearing a dark red cloak with her curly long black hair poking through the hood snuck up behind them.

"Madame Nina!" Keith proclaimed.

"I want you two to head into the city with Jack and Nicholas. I want you four to scout the area and see what type of people we will be dealing with tomorrow night. I will be on the search for some rations for the next trip. Everyone else can handle everything on their own. Now go."

Keith and Lucas quickly dropped what they were doing and ran to find Jack and Nicholas. Before they were able to get very far Madame Nina called out to them.

"Make sure you are dressed accordingly. We want to be able to draw as much attention as we can."

The two looked at each other and were reluctant for what she was wanting. They responded and headed off to their tent. There, they changed into their costumes. Keith put on a pair of green shorts held up with suspenders. He wore a white collared shirt and black dance shoes. He placed on his head a green hat with a large red feather protruding from the side. Lucas wore nothing but his red suspendered shorts. His muscular body was above average for a kid his age as he stood tall towering over most. He was known as the strongest person that many people have ever met. Keith was the exact opposite. He was one of the shortest members of the troupe. However, his smaller size enabled him to be quick and nimble in his movements.

Keith equipped himself with daggers in the holsters placed at his hip as the two of them headed out to meet with Jack Adder and Nicholas Elric. Unlike Keith and Lucas, Jack and Nicholas were already considered top tier members. Nicholas was the newly announced future ring leader of the troupe after Madame Nina's husband. Jack had a unique talent of dealing with various animals, mostly reptilian animals. His talent provided him a spot within the show giving it a more mystical aspect.

Keith and Lucas met up with them near the entrance of their camp. Jack wore a dark black cloak with black boots, pants, and shirt. He equipped himself with a short sword and wore a stern expression on his face. His one eye covered with an eye patch after an accident with a lion had caused him to lose his eye. Nicholas was dressed in a white dress shirt with black pants and outfit that was normal for him to wear. He had a rapier attached to his hip.

"Hey, how come you get to dress normally and we have to be in costume?" Keith asked seeing that the situation was unfair.

"Because Emmett is making me a new one dumbass," Nicholas replied.

"Hey don't call him a dumbass you dumbass!" Lucas shouted.

"Everybody stop calling each other a dumbass!" Jack replied pulling down the hood of his cloak, "Now can we just get this done and over with!"

Everyone began to make their way within the city. People would stare at them as Keith was eager to wave in response to them. His bright smile was filled with happiness and cheer as he would often adjust his thin glasses that didn't sit right on his face. Lucas was the same, although he was more humble and caring when people approached them. Nicholas was considered the more charming one out of the group, while Jack kept to himself most of the times.

They made a note of the type of people who may be watching their show. Hoping for more of a wealthier variety, they did manage to pick out a select few people who may have some interest in them. The aristocratic groups often found circuses to be a treat from their everyday lives. A change of pace from their dreary lifestyle or so it appeared to most of the troupe members.

As they wandered, stomachs could be heard. It was decided that the small amount of money that they had would be able to get them at least something to eat and share between each other. They tried a little bakery not far from where they first started their walk. The man inside was cheery at the sight of the whimsical outfits. Although they were at the start of their teenage years, the baker treated them like little children. This irritated Keith who often felt like he was being talked down to especially due to his petite stature.

In the troupe, Keith was often picked on for being short and thin. People would mock him to the point where he had, had enough of their taunting. Considering how Keith is a smaller member of the troupe he is also known as one of the deadliest. Before joining, Keith was living with his parents. His parents were well known assassins of the underworld. This underworld consisted of a wide variety of criminals and various petty thugs. His parents were notorious for killing off many people for the sake of money. When Keith Aberdeen came into their lives, it became their duty to raise him and teach him their ways.

On one of their jobs, Keith's parents had left him all alone. Keith waited for their arrival but they never came home. He searched for them and found that they had been captured by the royal knights. They were finally held for a trail which would lead to their execution.

Keith was in the crowd that day. He held back the tears as he watched the cold faces of his parents sitting upon the cutting block. As the executioner raised his axe up high a hand had firmly grasped his face preventing him from seeing. He remembers hearing the voice of a man, "A young boy should not witness the death of their own parents. There is no telling what kind of a man it may turn you."

All Keith remembers hearing was the axe hitting the block twice and a bell being rung claiming that the execution had been completed. Keith never once resisted the grasp of the man as he continued to hold onto his face and guide him away from the scene. Tears trickled down his face as he could no longer hold them back.

When the man had removed his hand, Keith had found himself within the circus. Unknowing to him, the man knew of his parents and what was going to happen to them. He had heard of Keith before and decided that it would be best for him and his wife to take him in. He said his name was Neal Sidonia and told him that he was the ringmaster and knife thrower for the circus.

Keith kept to himself and was deemed as an angry child. It was hard for him to make friends. He would constantly be seen sharpening various knives for Neal. One day Neal was trying to talk to Keith but something he had said about his parents had angered him. He swung a knife and began to stab him repeatedly. Neal survived thanks to the medical help of Caroline Rogers, but was left out of action for some time.

This behaviour continued for a few months afterwards, frightening most of the troupe members. Some even requested that Keith was to be removed from the troupe as they had feared their own lives. When Keith would hear this, he would lash out in anger. It wasn't until an arrival of someone new that things really began to change.

Lucas Anderson was a runaway looking for a new life. He came across the Sidonia Circus and was immediately accepted into the troupe with open arms. A lot of the members warned Lucas of Keith and told him it was best to stay away. Being the type of person that Luke was, he ignored all of the warnings. What most saw Keith to be was an angry destructive child, was different for Lucas. What Lucas saw in Keith was a scared lonely child.

Keith turned a cold shoulder at first, but with Lucas' compassion he eventually had warmed up to him. With the help of Lucas, Keith was turned into the fire driven mischievous child who is easily excitable. The joy in his life was brought back. He trained under Neal to learn how to properly throw knives and was proven to be very skilled at handling various knives due to his parents. It was taken a step further as Keith eventually learned how to shoot arrows and even fire guns.

Keith's skillset and history still puts fear in some but his now gentle approach of things had begun to ease his involvement within the troupe a lot more. He has become driven to be one of the top tier performers one day, practicing his skillset whenever possible.

As they had gathered what piece of bread they could, they split it up between each other. Nicholas carefully watched around as he continued to scout out their prey for the show. Jack hadn't really cared all much to what was going on around him.

As they ate their bread there was something strange that could be heard from down the street. It caught Keith's attention immediately as he stood straight and peered out to see the commotion. A young girl with shoulder length black hair was running with various men running behind her. She was yelling at the top of her lungs catching the attention of everyone she ran past.

"Hey did you guys see that!" Keith proclaimed.

"Of course you idiot, how could we not," Jack replied.

Keith looked up at Lucas with bright eyes shining.

"Keith no,"

"Oh come on it looked like she was in some sort of trouble."

"He's right. Remember darlings, what our philosophy is?" came the cool voice of Madame Nina from within the shadows.

"Help those who can't get the help they need," Nicholas replied.

"Isn't that why you are all here?" she asked with a small smile.

"Let's go," Nicholas ordered.

With a grin on his face, Keith was rearing to go and get involved in the action. He lived for the adrenaline of stopping the bad guys. The young boys ran after the group. They followed them until they saw that they had cornered the girl within an alley. Quietly, Nicholas gave the orders on how to proceed. Keith and Lucas were to hang back and block their exit while Jack and Nicholas climbed onto the roofs to strike from above. Slowly and quietly Nicholas and Jack drew their swords. They looked down to see the young girl panicking as she held up her fists ready for a fight. Keith quickly jumped onto Lucas' shoulders to get a better angle as the two stepped into view behind the men. With careful precision Keith reached for one of his knives and threw it at the man closest to her. He aimed carefully and lodged the blade into the back of the man's neck. He collapsed down to the ground before her as she stared in horror. The others responded and turned around to see the young boys blocking the exit. Keith adjusted his glasses at the sight of the angered men as Jack and Nicholas jumped down from the rooftops. They swung their swords slashing the backs of two other men landing with grace.

As the two had made their attack, Keith was enjoying the moment a little too much wearing a sadistic grin on his face. He held up his knives to his face quickly turning his grin around succeeding in the distraction. Jack and Nicholas slashed the two other men. Lucas made his moved and grabbed a hold of one of the heads of the men and slammed it into the wall. As Lucas grabbed the head, Keith had jumped off and flipped in the air. Mid-flip he had altered his body enough to give him a better angle upside down. Once in this position he threw a few more of his knives hitting his desired targets. His feet touched the ground as Lucas had taken care of the last man standing.

A gentle smile returned to Keith's face as he turned around to see the shaken girl. She had a small amount of blood on her from a wound.

"Madame, I know you're there," Nicholas called out.

Nina came around from the corner with a calm smile on her face.

"Well done boys. Mama is so proud of your work. Sometimes you do need to get your hands a little dirty for Mama. Don't worry boys, I will have this taken care of for you. It's the least that I can do. Now my child," she said reaching her hand out to the young girl. "You have no need to be afraid anymore."

The young girl was still shaking but had become overwhelmed with emotions. She pulled herself away from the wall and collapsed down to her knees. The young girl let out a loud cry as the boys gathered around her trying to recompose themselves before walking out of the alley.

"She's bleeding," Keith said quietly making a note of her wound.

"Take her to Caroline and set her up," she pulled the girl up and crouched down to meet her eye level, "You're going to be going home now."

Jack pulled his cloak off and draped it around her shoulders as Nicholas had begun guiding her. Keith and Lucas were walking right behind, leaving Madame Nina to deal with the mess that had been created. The boys had become used to dealing with situations such as this and were not hesitant to kill for the sake of an innocent.

When they reached the camping ground, Nicholas and Keith had guided her to the medical tent were Caroline was residing. Keith ran into the tent and called for Caroline. She was calmly sitting at a table when Keith came running through the tarp. The loud boy startled her as she nearly fell out of her seat.

"CAROLINE, CAROLINE! WE NEED YOU'RE HELP THIS GIRL IS HURT!" he yelled at her.

"Calm down for goodness sakes. Bring her in and I'll see what I can do," she shouted back.

Nicholas had already brought her into the tent at this point. Caroline directed him to the medical bed were he helped prop her up onto the bed. The girl was quiet and didn't want to make eye contact with anyone. Caroline calmly examined the girl but found something odd.

"I thought you said she was injured," she stated peering over her shoulder towards Keith.

"She is! Look at her arm!"

"I am, and there is nothing. Not even a spec of blood is on her. Look Keith if this is some sort of prank it's not funny."

"This is no prank. She did have blood on her when we were first bringing her through town," said Nicholas.

"I don't understand then, did you clean it off of her?"

"No, we didn't!" Keith shouted.

"I see no wounds and I see no blood." She turned to the girl and calmly began to speak to her, "Are you injured anywhere?"

The girl shook her head no.

"Ok, well that solves that. I should still make sure everything is ok."

The girl allowed Caroline to examine her body. Her fingers ran gently up and down her arms and legs but she was unable to find any marks on her body. There was no indication that she was injured at all.

"You seem to be completely fine, are you sick at all. Do you feel ill?"

The girl shook her head again.

"Well that settles it, there is nothing wrong."

The two boys were bewildered by the fact that the girl was not injured. They began to rethink what they had previously seen in the alley. Keith was sure that she was injured when he saw her running thought the streets. Nicholas began to theorize that it was the blood of the men after her and not her own. However that was not enough to convince Keith. He was sure that there was some sort of wound present.

"Do you have a name?" Caroline asked.

The girl said nothing.

"My name is Caroline."

"And I'm Keith and this is Nicholas."

"Come with me, I'll take you to a tent," Nicholas stated holding out his hand.

"No fair, I wanted to do that," Keith whined.

Nicholas simply glared at him. It was enough for Keith to not continue the argument any further and let him do what he wanted. The young girl responded to Nicholas and was guided out of the tent and towards the back of the camping ground where she would be staying. Madame Nina had returned and spoke with Caroline about the girl's condition. She was declared to be in perfect condition aside from being thin from not eating. Her overall appearance suggested that she was living on the street and did not have a home.

The girl was very quiet and kept to herself. At first she didn't say anything to anyone. She would take her food and eat alone and often ran when one of the adults were nearby.

During the scheduled dinner time, Lucas and Keith sat together and enjoyed the warm stew that Lucas had helped prepare earlier. Keith couldn't help but to notice the girl sitting by herself with Jack's cloak still wrapped around her.

"You're stew is going to get cold you know," Lucas stated noticing Keith's stares at the girl.

"I know, I just can't help but to be sorry for her. She hasn't said a word since she got here. I wonder what happened to her. Like why were those men after her."

"It's best to leave that kind of stuff alone for now."

"I…I can't," Keith proclaimed as he grabbed his bowl and walked over to her.

He firmly planted his bowl onto the table which startled her. She dropped her spoon back into the bowl and stared at him with her bright green eyes. Fear was within them as she wasn't too sure whether she needed to get herself out of there or not.

Keith said nothing to her and just ate his stew. Occasionally he would look up at her as she remained still with her eyes locked on him. The longer that he sat there in silence the more the girl felt as though she was safe. She slowly began to continue eating her stew keeping a watchful eye on him. They didn't say a word towards each other and ate their stew in silence.

Back at Lucas' table, Jack and Nicholas had joined him. They took notice to Keith sitting at the table with their newest member to their circus family.

"Remind you guys of anything?" Nicholas asked gesturing to the two sitting at the table.

"Sure does. I remember when he didn't even look people in the eye," Lucas replied.

"You have to admit that they are different in their own ways though," Jack chimed in, "she's this scared little person while he was a sharp angry thing."

"Who knows maybe, they'll be good for each other," Lucas questioned.

"I don't know, it's hard to say," replied Nicholas.

"And what makes you say that?"

"Well, I mean look at her. Something is really not right, I can feel it."

"You have to admit though, she is kind of cute in her own way."

Nicholas stared at the girl hiding within the cloak. He watched her eat her stew as her black hair dangled. She pulled her hair back behind her face revealing the smooth dirtied skin. Her green eyes were dull as if they had lacked something.

"She is something," Nicholas replied quietly as he was becoming captivated and over looked the harsh exterior.

The following day everyone was in preparations for the show that was about to take place. The large stage was built together and dressed accordingly. Everyone was in their costumes even if they were not set to perform. There was the odd chance that a top tier performer would be unable to perform which meant a stage hand was able to have their moment in the spot light.

The young girl had no clue as to what was going on. She was caught in the middle of everything as she concealed herself within the cloak. It wasn't until the warm gentle hand of Madame Nina helped guide her to an area where she would be out of the way.

Jack was preparing the snakes and making sure that all of them were able to perform for the evening as Nicholas was stretching. The two of them were top tier members who earned their spots. Jack's unique and natural way with animals earned him the spot right away. However, Nicholas' experience and hard work was what pushed him to be top tier as a swordsman.

Both Jack and Nicholas had been there much longer than most of the performers. Jack was exiled by his family for being different. He was fascinated with snakes and various other animals. Eventually his fascination had landed him in trouble. One afternoon he had wandered into a nearby forest away from his village alone. Here was where he met his fate. He came across a large mountain lion who had struck him across his face. The sharp claws of the beast left scars on his face and caused the loss of his left eye. He was able to escape and live to tell the tale. However, due to his mistakes the animal was drawn to the village. Because of this, he was forced to be removed from their village and live out on his own. They considered him to be too much of a risk. Even his own parents didn't want the risk of that happening to them. He wandered around for a while before coming across Neal and Nina. They welcomed him with open arms.

Five years prior to Jack's arrival was Nicholas. Nicholas grew up knowing nothing but the circus. During their travels, the circus had come across a crying baby along the side of the road. The young child was barely holding onto life. Immediately they took him in and gave him the name. He became somewhat like a son to Neal and Nina and was considered the pride and joy of the circus.

As the evening began to draw near, crowds started rolling in as everyone was preparing for the night's performance. The young girl was welcomed to the back of the stage as she perched herself on some crates. The opening act was set to perform the minute Neal introduced the circus.

The young girl watched as each member participated in their performance and did a splendid job in doing so. Keith took notice to her stares and approached her quietly. He sat up on the crate next to her as his feather tickled the top of her head. The feather didn't affect her at all as her eyes remained locked on the movements of the performers.

"Cool huh?" Keith whispered.

The girl nodded in agreement with her jaw slightly dropped.

"That could be you one day."

She quickly looked at him and reverted her eyes back to the stage.

"I've performed up there before. One of them got injured and I got to do my act. I'm a knife thrower and I don't miss my mark," he proudly said.

The girl only responded with a slight glance at him.

Keith took notice to her amusement to the performers on the stage. He knew that she felt drawn to it all.

"I could probably teach you."

"Really!" she said quickly.

"So you do have a voice."

She was quiet and seemed to be timid.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm Keith by the way."

"Lana."

That moment was the moment that started the rest of her life. She wanted to have something more to her life and felt that being a performer was something that would help. Keith was thankful that she had finally trusted him to at least tell him her name. Now he had finally something to refer to her as. A feeling came over him as the dull eyes that he watched earlier sparkled in the light from the stage. As she was mesmerized by the movements, he was mesmerized by her.


	2. The Deer

It was still some time for Lana to adjust to her surroundings as Keith was with her every step of the way. He showed her the tips and tricks of the circus as she began to slowly warm up to those around her. For a while she only spoke to Keith and kept herself away from everyone else. But as the days went on she was able to sit down and talk with the others.

Nicholas was very friendly with her just as Lucas was caring towards her. Jack didn't really speak to her a whole lot but when they did he was straight forward with his words. In the end she related to each individual in some way or another as they helped her live within the circus. Each one of them taught her how to function properly and taught her new life skills. She became rather fond of playing with hula hoops when she and Keith were together and became rather good at tricks.

Keith kept his promise and had snuck behind the adults' backs and decided to take it upon himself to train Lana on a circus skill. It was decided that he was going to pass on his knowledge of knife throwing to her in the middle of his secondary training.

All members were required to pick up a secondary skill in the off chance that they were unable to perform the first. For example if a knife thrower was unable to perform due to the lack of knives or no usable target, then they would resort to their secondary skill. Keith was learning how to do the trapeze with a top tier performer Eleanora.

Keith had taken Lana away from the main tents and brought her to a secluded area. He was very excited to pass on his knowledge to someone else, especially in secrecy. Since her arrival, Keith had been around her mostly for her own comfort and sake. Lucas took a notice to this considering how the two of them used to be around each other all the time.

He placed a large teddy bear on top of a crate and pulled out the knives from the sheaths along his sides. He calmed himself and focused on his target. After taking three deep breathes he threw the knives with each one hitting the bear. The knives formed into one singular line showing Keith's accuracy was impressive. Once he had pulled the knives out of the bear he placed Lana a few feet away from it as a starting point. All he wanted to see was how well she would be able to throw the knives.

"Ok, now I want you to grab the knife by the hilt with the blade pointing towards you. When you feel ready, throw it at the bear. Try and aim for its head if you can."

He stepped away from her and watched in silence. Her form was loose and shaky. She threw the knife at the target hard. The knife flew out of her hand and struck the crate just below the bear.

"Not bad, you at least kept it straight," Keith proclaimed walking towards the knife.

The two continued training with each other until Keith started getting hungry. He was proud of Lana's progress as she had appeared to have a firm grasp on the concept of how to improve her accuracy. She went from hitting the crate to striking the stomach of the bear in the matter of a few hours.

As the two walked back, Lana made a note of how sore her wrist was. Keith instructed her to keep stretching to improve her flexibility. He suggested that it was a good idea to stretch all parts of her body anyways considering how she might be asked to train under someone else. She was concerned when Keith had mentioned it.

"Our training is supposed to be a secret. Anyone learning a new skill typically has to get trained under a top tier performer."

"Top tier?"

"The ones who go on stage, come on I've told you about it you dork!" he proclaimed shoving her gently.

She giggled slightly as she continued, "So how come you're teaching me?"

"I dunno, maybe because I wanted to," he said shrugging off her question.

They made their way to the kitchen tent where they found Lucas proudly inside with an apron on. He was busy preparing the dinner for everyone as he chopped vegetables for another one of his stews. He was whistling a happy tune when they walked in. He stopped chopping at their arrival and happily greeted them. Lana sniffed the air and smelt the warm stew being prepared.

"Stew again!" she shouted with glee.

"You like it huh?"

"Yeah, it is way better than the nasty stuff the noble gave us," she quickly responded.

"Noble?"

"Wait you were living with a noble!" Keith shouted.

Lana realized what she had said and covered her mouth. She began shaking her head and her eyes became wide. She immediately regretted what she had started and began to run away from them. As she quickly ran for the exit, Nicholas and Jack had entered blocking her way out. She feared for what was going to happen realizing that she had not informed anyone what her past was.

"What's going on here?" Nicholas asked concerned over the girl's behaviour.

"I dunno, she said something about food from a noble and began freaking out when we asked," Keith replied.

"Whatever, Madame Nina wants to speak with you and Lana. She also wants you Lucas to make sure preparations are made for Mr. Sidonia's return from the ship," Jack interrupted.

Nicholas and Jack guided Lana to the performance area where she was standing with a young slim woman dressed in all white. She was something like an angel. Kind yet stern, graceful and yet strong. She was very intimidating. Not far behind the three was Keith who was more than curious as to what the meeting was about.

"Lana my dear, have you met Eleanora?"

Lana only shook her head no. Eleanora crossed one leg over the other and gave a graceful bow towards her.

"I am Eleanora the Angelic Acrobat."

"Pleasure to meet you," Lana replied quietly.

"I'm sure you are fully aware of how we do things around here by now right?" Madame Nina asked.

"Yeah, Keith told me," she said a little louder.

"Good, then I want you to be training under Eleanora here and learn aerial acrobatics with her."

"I hope to work well with you. I feel that we will have a great time together."

The group headed back to where Lucas had returned and had finished preparing the stew for everyone. They all grabbed their bowls and sat at a table with each other. Lana kept silent which concerned Keith.

"Hey, it's going to be fine. You'll do great Lana!"

"No that's not it at all. It's…"

"What," he asked quietly.

"It's just that the longer I stay somewhere the more it hurts."

"Huh?"

Lana began to explain what she meant referring to what she had mentioned earlier. They learned that there was something unique about the girl, but she refused to tell them what it was. When she was born, people came to her house and attacked her parents. The doctor who helped with the birth escaped with Lana and had begun to raise her as his own. A few years later, the people who had attacked her parents had crashed into their home and killed the Doctor and his wife.

In fear, Lana had made her escape at a very young age. She had lived on the streets until a Noble of a wealthy merchant company had found her. She trusted the man and wanted to believe that he was going to help her live better. However, she ended up being a slave to him and was trained to be a future bride of his. She was forced to cook and clean. She was tied to a piano and forced to learn how to play and tethered to horses to ensure she would become skillful. Within the mansion there were two others she had become friends with. However the day finally came where she had escaped and left her friends behind. She fled to the streets with people constantly going after her. Some of them were Hunters wanting to kidnap her and bring her to the underworld or they were the noble's men trying to retrieve what was lost.

When Lana had arrived at the circus she wanted to keep to herself for as long as she could because she didn't know how long she would remain with them. She felt that becoming friends with the people around her will result in her conflicts becoming theirs. She was afraid that they would die because of her.

Keith reassured her that everything was going to be alright by patting her back and giving her a large smile.

"That is quite the history you have Lana," Nicholas said grabbing her hand.

She was shocked at first but looked up at him with her jaw slightly dropped. Keith became aggravated at the sight. He didn't like the way he was touching her at all.

"Don't worry everyone here has a grim history. That's what makes the Sidonia Circus so special. We are here to protect each other because of that. I have an idea, I could teach you how to fight?"

"Really?"

"Yeah of course. I can teach you how to use a sword in no time. In fact I'll be your second skill teacher."

Keith jumped up from the table with fists of fury ready at his sides. Lana was scared as she witnessed the happy boy turn into an angered being. She knew of this side of Keith but never imagined that she would see it. However, the fight that was going on between the two boys was imminent. At this point it had become obvious that the two of them shared feelings for Lana, feelings that went beyond what the others held on to. Nicholas was always the one who considered himself as the alpha. He never let anyone take away something once he had set his eyes on it. Knowing this, Keith was infuriated with him not wanting to let Nicholas have his way.

He stood before the others and glared at Nicholas. His lip was furled revealing his snarling teeth. Nicholas knew right away what was going on and sat there with a sly smile on his face. He wanted to poke the beast further to see exactly how far he would go.

"Keith?" came the quiet voice of Lana.

The little voice snapped him out. He turned towards her and saw the fear in her eyes. He knew that nothing he did would be able to help him. He admitted that there were some form of feelings developing towards Lana due to the connection that he felt with her. However, the thought of Nicholas spending time with her disgusted and angered him. He knew that Nicholas had feelings for Lana as well but felt that he didn't deserve her.

Although being very good friends with Nicholas, Keith had also felt unnerved by him. There was something not right that sat within his stomach. It was almost villainous in a way. On the outside Nicholas appeared to be a normal teenage boy, but it was almost like a poisonous snake was residing in him. If something wasn't going his way, he was sure to take any means necessary to make it work for himself and himself only.

Keith sat down and continued to eat his stew. The conversation continued as Lana had agreed to their arrangements. Lana was going to learn how to fight and defend herself from the hunters and the noble's men. While she practiced with Nicholas, she had to make time to practice with Eleanora and learning her circus skill from her. As she was supposed to have the two training sessions, she still wanted to practice her knife throwing skills with Keith. The confliction was starting and it was unknown of what would become of the friendships.

Keith and Lucas were cleaning up as Nicholas had taken her to start her first fighting lesson. Keith was gloomy as Lucas tried to stay positive. As they cleaned, Keith kept sighing over and over again. The more he did it, the louder he got. It kept going on until it had gotten on Lucas' nerves.

"What is it now!?"

"I don't like the idea that she is with him. I just don't know what he plans on doing," he said slumping over in a chair.

"Sounds to me like you're jealous."

"WHAT ME! No…there is no way that I am jealous of him. Nope, not at all."

"Keith."

"Ok…maybe a little."

"Well, maybe just try and talk to her. See how she feels and go from there. Then you'd at least know."

One of the other younger troupe members came running into the tent. He was completely out of breath and shaken up. He tried to speak but was unable to gather his words enough to make any sense.

"Calm down Matt, and slowly tell us what's wrong," Lucas calmly said to him grabbing a hold of the boys shoulders.

"The…the…the stage…it collapsed…the new girl…she was there…was trapped….but…."

Keith quickly jolted up from his chair, "Lana what! What happened, trapped. But what!"

"You have…to go see, come with me."

Matt began running out of the tent again with Keith and Lucas right behind. As they got closer, they saw the destroyed stage. The catwalk of the stage had given out and collapsed, leaving those on the stage helpless to the calamity that would have befallen them. Keith was really worried for Lana and pushed Matt aside. He ran right passed him as Matt had fallen to the ground.

Keith's eyes were wide at the destruction that was before him. He couldn't see Lana anywhere in the rubble. Everyone stood in horror unsure of what to do. Nina ran to the scene and began directing people to jump onto the stage and remove the beams to uncover those who may have been caught.

Just as everyone began making their move, the rubble began to move. Some people were weirded out by what they were seeing, others grew more concerned believing that it was collapsing further onto itself. What was happening was a wonder that no one ever would have thought to exist.

The beams were pushed off of the pile as a large figure rose from the rubble. Everyone was scared at the sight of the creature that was standing before them. There was a large skinless being with bones covering its body like armor. It resembled a female and stood ten meters tall among the copious amount of steam rising from its body.

In the large space where the beast had been was Eleanora and Nicholas alive and well. They were holding onto themselves to protect their body from anything that would fall.

As the beast stood tall, steam rose from wounds that were caused by the beams. Everyone was too scared to approach the creature. They had no idea what it was or where it came from. The beast collapsed onto its knees as it looked like it was going to lose consciousness.

Just as it was about to fall over, the body began to reduce in size. The bones began to disappear and the flesh became normal flesh within a gust of wind. When the beast had hit the ground, it had turned itself into a small girl. She was limp as she collapsed to the stage floor.

"LANA!" Keith yelled as he made his way towards the stage.

Just as Keith reached the stage, Nicholas had already grabbed her and held onto her. All of the troupe members were amazed at the sight they had just witnessed. They were unsure of what to make of the situation. Madame Nina was the only one who seemed to be excited by the new find.

"Nicholas, take her to Caroline immediately. I will take care of her from here. I want everyone to clean up this mess. We are heading out tomorrow the minute that Neal gets here from the ship."

Everyone was speechless but followed the orders. Even Keith was reluctant to believe what he saw.

"Unbelievable. When she said that people were after her because of a gift, I never imagined that it was something like this," said Keith as a shiver was sent through his spine.

"I didn't even think, people like her existed. I've only heard about them in fairy tales," Lucas proclaimed.

"I remember hearing the story about the old king of the land," said a young lady who was helping them move a beam. "They said that his family were unique beings among many clans. Referred to as the guardians of the land because of their powers and therefore dubbed as rulers. They were titans. However, LeBlanc was concerned for the kingdom. He felt that the current king was going to destroy the land and what it was using his powers for evil by means of manipulation. LeBlanc was a man of technology and used that to his advantage. He developed a rebellion and discovered a way to defeat titans. He over threw the king and began to rule the land under his own beliefs. All those who were known titans were captured and detained for fear of anarchy and chaos. It wasn't long before they were believed to be wiped out entirely by other means as well."

"But that's just a story right. I mean there really is no such thing as titans, right," Keith stammered looking over at Lucas for reassurance.

"You all saw what I saw. I'm starting to think that maybe it wasn't a fairy tale."

"But how did LeBlanc kill off an entire kingdom of titans?" Keith asked.

"Nobody knows. There are no documents of the technology that he used. Those with the titan gift would be dragged out of their homes but nobody knows where or what happened to them. I heard that he used their own powers against them. Maybe forcing those to take his side against the King. Either way, it happened about hundreds of years ago. Nobody knows the full story. "

"So you think Lana is a titan?" Lucas asked.

"Possibly. Like you said we all saw that. That isn't something a normal human could do."

"What's going to happen to her?" Keith grew concerned.

"I'm not sure. But, knowing the Sidonia Circus, I'm sure that things will work out."

In the medical tent was Madame Nina, Neal, Caroline, and the unconscious Lana. Lana was placed in a bed as Caroline examined her.

"She is one of them. After what I saw I am sure of it," Nina proclaimed.

"It would explain what happened when she first arrived. The boys were so sure that she was wounded but I didn't find a single scratch on her. She must have some sort of rapid healing because of her lineage."

"Do you know what this means! This means that she is our greatest ticket."

"You aren't seriously planning on selling her to the black market, are you?"

"No of course not. I have other things in store, we have our deal remember. She is just the person we have been looking for. We will train her and develop her abilities until we can be certain that she is the right decision for us. After all, she is the key to our future," Neal proclaimed.

Everyone was afraid of what was roaming around the circus. No one wanted to talk about it, but the tension was high. Everyone was on edge knowing that there was a human with a more than a unique ability among them. There was no telling what she was capable of. This concerned Keith as he still wanted to be friends with Lana. He wanted to be there for her especially now more than ever. She was about to be shunned by all of the circus performers just when she was getting used to everything.

Lana awaken to Keith sitting by her side. She wasn't exactly sure what had happened. Keith gladly filled her in on everything. When he finished, Lana began to cry.

"You must think of me like a monster!" she shouted through her tears.

"What! Lana you are you, no matter what. You are not a monster to me at all."

"Really?"

"Of course. I mean you have an awesome gift!"

"It's not as awesome as it seems."

"Sorry I'll stop talking."

"No, it's ok. Thanks for being here Keith. You're sure that you're aren't scared of me?"

"I have to admit, I am a little nervous knowing what you can do. It was a surprise and I'm sure everyone feels the same way."

When Lana was well enough, Keith stayed by her side. Everyone was treating her differently now that they knew her biggest darkest secret. They shunned her just like Keith had predicted. However Jack, Lucas, and Nicholas still treated her just the same. They welcomed her to their little fire that they had near the sleeping tents.

"You're ok!" Nicholas said excitedly.

Nicholas had a couple of bandages on him from some of the rubble that had hit him. She was worried for his safety and Keith saw the look she had. He was saddened by her worried look, but tried hard to stay positive for her.

The group began to chat with one another, mostly in regards to Lana's ability. They wanted to know more about what she could do and how she was able to get her powers.

"I was born with them I guess. I've known that I've had them since I was very young. I could do different things, but I can't control it. It comes and goes, which is scary sometimes because there have been times where I wasn't prepared at all."

"Lana my dear," came the cool voice of Madame Nina.

She turned around to see the woman standing behind her with the largest grin on her face.

"I understand everything now. Do you understand what has happened to your parents?"

"My…Parents?"

"Yes, there may be a chance that they are still alive."

The group was surprised as most of them heavily reacted to her. Jack remained still and watched the interaction between the two.

"Seriously!" Lana shouted standing up from her crate. "There may be a chance that they are alive!"

"A large possibility. No one knows what happens to those with special gifts once they are captured. I'm sure if you pick a part the history of our land, you might understand what could be the root cause of everything. Then you might be able to use that to track down and locate your parents. Or at the very least, know what happened to them and the rest of your kind."

She handed Lana a black book. The book was about the history of Rhea. A book that was considered a fairy tale at one point in time but was proven fact after recent evidence. Various documents had been recovered before the current ruler.

Keith saw how excited Lana was and relaxed a little bit more. He knew that things were going to be alright from here on out. Madame Nina vowed to help her find out about the past of her lineage. However, there was something that was troubling everyone in the troupe. It was the idea of her uncontrollable powers. With the assistance of Jack, it was decided that Madame Nina would work with Lana in being able to have full control over her powers. The timid girl had become one of the greatest assets to have entered the Sidonia Circus.


	3. Trials and Efforts

The circus continued to travel with the knowledge of Lana's gift. Although she considered it to be more of a curse than anything. Keith tried to pull her out of her self-doubt but came out with no prevail. Although, in her moments of sorrow she was still able to hold a smile.

With the current situations of their training regiment, Keith was unable to spend as much time with Lana as he had hoped for. She was always with Madame Nina and Jack developing her gifts to be under her control. They were trying to figure out what her extents are and what she was truly capable of even put on display during the shows to show off her skill as a magic trick. When she wasn't with them, she was with Nicholas working on her self-defence skills or training with Eleanor. Keith had almost stopped showing her how to throw knives which made him sad and lonely. In the end he still had Lucas to rely on.

Things had seemed to have been going back to the way things were before. However it wasn't until one fateful day that Keith's world was shattered. It was a snowy day when Keith was looking for Lana. He had heard that she was with Nicholas fine tuning her swordsmanship. When he approached, he saw a sight that he never wanted to see. The two of them were close to one another, their lips locked together. Keith was frozen with hatred and sadness mixed together. He wanted nothing more than to pull Nicholas off of her, but he no longer saw the point.

The group were all gathered in an area after their meal while on the road to the next city. They tend to keep themselves separate from the adults and other members, finding that they got along with each other more than the others.

"So, Eleanor has you balancing on ropes and what not?" Nicholas was asking.

"Yeah, she says it's the best way to start and work on that before I can actually start moving through the air," Lana replied huddled in a blanket.

"Kind of like what Keith was doing."

She looked over at him as Keith continued to stare into the fire. He didn't say a word at all and remained emotionless. She was concerned for his well-being.

The following morning the troupe had reached their destination. They started setting up the stage and tents as some of the younger members passed around posters around the town. Lucas guided Lana on the proper ways to set up the stage and tie off the ropes as Keith was working with Nicholas to set up the tents.

"What's your problem," Nicholas asked taking notice to Keith's quietness. "You aren't normally like this."

"It's none of your business."

"It is now because it's becoming a problem."

"How is that it's becoming a problem," Keith angrily said throwing the rope to the ground.

"You're angrier and you're starting to take it out on others," he pointed at the ropes. "You need to fix whatever it is that's causing this problem," he continued.

"You're the problem," Keith muttered under his breath.

A rivalry had developed between Keith and Nicholas. Nicholas had always thought of Keith as a nuisance to him even though they were considered to be friends. Since Keith had joined, Nicholas' arrogance had caused nothing but irritation towards Keith. The aggravation has since then increased since his involvement with Lana. Just when Keith had finally found the one thing that made him feel better about himself, aside from Lucas, it felt like the moments were being taken away from him. However, what Keith had neglected to see was the behavioural changes it had caused within him.

Lana came up behind the two of them after finishing her work with Lucas.

"Keith, don't you think it's time that you and I to you know," she said making eye contact with Nicholas.

"Right," he replied getting up from the ground after tying off the last knot.

Nicholas was a little suspicious as to what was going on. He had taken notice of them taking off away from the troupe a lot more frequently than before. As the two began to walk away he started following them.

"Keith, are you ok?"

"Huh, oh, yeah I'm fine."

"It sure doesn't seem like it. You've been acting strange for a while now. It isn't because I'm different is it!"

"What no!" He proclaimed raising his hands. "I promise it has nothing to do with your abilities. For the most part."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I just don't like you spending so much time with Jack and Nina the way you have been, and with Nicholas too."

"You're kidding right. That's why you're so worked up! I thought you liked them, I mean isn't that why you're still here? Don't you consider them family?"

"I do like them. It's just that I don't really trust Nicholas to not hurt you emotionally," he said reaching their point. He reached into his pockets and pulled out the sheathed knives. "And Madame Nina always just thinks of herself first and Jack will do whatever she tells him."

Lana pulled out a small can and placed it on a fence post. "I can see where you are concerned. Things are going to be fine," she turned to him and smiled. "Trust me Keith. I can take care of myself. Besides, thanks to Nicholas I can actually fight and defend myself. And with Madame Nina's knowledge and with some of Jack's help I can actually transform at will now," she stated pulling the knives from Keith's hands and positioning herself. She began to throw the knives at the target and hit them with great ease.

"I guess that puts me a little more at ease. Straighten your back a little more."

Close by Nicholas had heard everything that the two were discussing. At that point he had learned that the two of them had been practicing a skill behind the backs of the others. This was technically a punishable act considering how Keith himself was not considered to be a trainer at any level. However, he brought it upon himself to not tell the others and to leave it alone. He felt that this information might be handy to him in the future.

When their session had ended the two had walked back.

"You definitely have improved a lot since we first started. I'd say that you're a natural when it comes to stuff like this."

"I tend to pick up on stuff easily."

"Knives, Lana, just the people I wanted to see."

"Angel…since when did we start using stage names all of a sudden?" Keith proclaimed.

"Since now I suppose. I wanted to try and start a trend," replied Eleonore. "Is it working?"

"Hardly since I don't have one," Lana stated.

"Anyways, I'm glad that I caught the two of you together. I have something I want to ask of you."

Keith and Lana both looked at each other wondering what she wanted.

"Well since I am mentoring the two of you, I brought up this idea with Neal and Nina and they thought that it was wonderful."

"Ok so what is it?" Keith asked.

"Well, since you two are both the same size, nimble, quick…"

"Get on with it," said Lana annoyed.

"Very well. We want you to become a partnered act with the trapeze."

The two were very shocked and unsure of how to respond. They stood in silence with Eleonore standing before them with a large smile on her face.

"Great it's settled then. I will see you later on the stage and we will rehearse!"

They met up at the stage after eating with their training gear on. They both had been training in clothing that was tighter on their skin. Keith was shirtless with shorts exposing his thin frail looking body while Lana wore a tight fitted bra and shorts. News had gotten around about the first dual act that was being trained as people who had nothing better to do wanted to watch. Most acts were single acts. Those who had partners only treated their partner as a prop for stunt acts such as knife throwing or jumping over them. Although in the past there were acts that had partner performers sharing the stage together, such as that as the trapeze. It was time for Keith and Lana to have their moment together. This was something that Keith had wanted badly but he never figured that it would be at a level such as this. Lana was unsure of her own skill and was very doubtful that she would be able to succeed with a partner. Keith had started his training well before Lana and therefore had more experience than she had.

"Well don't you too look adorable? Knives and….that's right we haven't gotten a stage name for you yet," Eleonora gazed out and saw Neal and Nina patiently waiting to watch the two soar. "What was the name we were going to assign her!" she yelled towards them.

"MYSTIC!" Neal shouted back at her.

"There we have it, from this day forth you are now known as Mystic of the Sidonia Circus."

Keith watched as Lana's face lit up at the sound of her stage name. Mystic fit her perfectly given her magical ability that was already laid out in the spotlight.

"Alright then, Knives and Mystic I want you to stand up on the platform on either side. At first I just want you two to let the music flow within each of you."

"Wait so what are we supposed to do then?" Keith asked.

"Improvise. I want to see what you two can do."

The two were bewildered. They looked at her and tried to explain to her that there was no way that they could do it. They had no form of training with a partner claiming that it was going to fail. Someone was going to end up getting hurt. However, as much as they cried and complained there was nothing that they could do that would change her mind.

They each climbed up onto their own platform and pulled off the trapeze bar that rested in its holder. There was no net below, meaning that if one of them were to fall then it would result in serious injuries. Eleonora stood below waving at each of them. With great uncertainty they looked at each other and waited for the music to start.

Keith stared at her and realized how scared she was. She was not prepared for any of this.

"Remember just listen to the music!" Eleonore called out to them.

The music started as Keith gazed back at Lana. He wanted to insure her that everything was going to be alright. He had great faith in himself that neither of them were going to fall. Lana jumped first and swung towards him. Keith swung down just a moment after her.

"LET GO!" he yelled towards her.

"WHAT!" she screamed back as they continued to swing.

Keith swung himself upside down as the back of his knees held on tightly to the bar.

With great faith, she let go of the bar as she got closer to Keith. She closed her eyes fearing for what was awaiting her. The crowd below watched as they prepared themselves for her to fall. However, Keith had grabbed a hold of her arms before she was able to get anywhere. Eleonore was impressed as he had a tight grip on her.

"Do you trust me!" he shouted back.

Lana said nothing and only nodded towards him. He swung her and let go of her hands. This caused her to flip upside down allowing him to grab her legs. Lana listened to the music as Keith was trying to come up with something to do next. She opened her eyes as she was hanging upside down. She stared at the bar she was once on that was still swinging back and forth. When they got close enough she grabbed a hold of the bar and pulled. Keith was not expecting her to do so but firmly held onto her legs. This caused him to lose his grip on his own bar. He was left hanging as Lana used all of her strength to hold onto the bar and turn to face where they were.

Everyone down below watched in curiosity unsure of what they were going to do next. It was completely obvious that they had no clue what they were doing and yet they were still working together effortlessly. It was the trust that they had in each other that allowed them to work together in the way that they were.

Lana had used most of her strength and began swinging her own body along with the bar. Keith did nothing but hold on to her legs following the swings of her body. He began to clue in to what she was doing and followed her lead. The two had gained enough momentum that Keith decided to do something drastic. He swung himself with more force than before and let go of her legs. He threw himself upwards flipping himself in the process. He timed it so that he was able to land on the bar without stepping on her hands. She stared up at him amazed and decided that it was her turn to do something.

The bar they were on before was starting to decrease its swing. She knew that it was now or never. With a final swing she leapt off of the bar and reached for the one before her. Keith watched her and was scared. He felt that there was no way that she would be able to reach the bar. However, his doubts was proven wrong as she just barely grabbed onto the bar with one hand. She swung herself around the bar so that she two was standing firmly on top of it.

At that point the music had ended as the troupe below applauded their efforts. The nerves and adrenaline were still coursing through their veins as they dismounted the bars and made their way back down below.

"Splendid little ones. You were a little shaky and it could have gone a lot smoother but you two did better than I even expected. I can see that all of your hard work has definitely shown through."

Keith and Lana were amazed by what they were able to accomplish. They hugged each other in excitement as they both were trying to calm themselves down from all of the excitement. However in their moment of embrace Keith realized what he was doing and quickly let go. Lana was confused as she watched Keith nervously look away from her. He was trying to conceal the blushing that had come over his face.

Later that evening Lana was helping Lucas prepare the meals as Keith was with Jack cleaning up the dining area.

"That was quiet the performance that the two of you put on earlier," Jack stated as he was wiping down the table.

"Yeah it was. It was unexpected but I think we might be able to actually come up with something for the show. Maybe even become top tier performers."

"You aren't seriously thinking about actually making her a partner of yours are you?"

"Yeah why?"

"She's dangerous Keith, a freak of nature. We still don't know what she is really capable of. What if she hurts you?"

"Geez Jack I didn't think you cared that much about me," blowing off his comment about Lana.

"Can it, shrimp."

"Besides we are all dangerous in some way aren't we? I mean just think of what we've had to do. I'm just glad that we haven't been told to do any of that lately. I'm tired of it," Keith replied staring at his hands.

"That's not the point."

"I know what you're saying, I just don't think she means any harm."

"Who means any harm?" came the calming voice of Lana as she came out of the tent.

Keith and Jack immediately stopped talking about her the minute that she came up to them. They refused to tell her what they were talking about which caused her to go back to the kitchen tent in frustration.

Keith very well knew that Lana was an unknown being. She was a strong individual who was capable of being a monster in most eyes. However she was still gentle and a kind person. That person outweighed the beast. He made it the best effort to always think of her as that type of being considering what they have all done in the past.

There was a further reason why the boys were grouped together in the way that they were. They didn't exactly choose to be around each other all day every day. Madame Nina and Neal saw the potential that each of the boys shared and decided to use that to their advantage. The boys became a group of individuals who took care of the underground work for the circus. Due to their age they were always considered to be the innocent types enabling them to get away with a lot of crimes, especially with the help of Neal and Madame Nina.

When Keith was first involved in the group, their jobs consisted mostly of pickpocketing and other types of stealing. Breaking and entering was a common practice for them that they all became quite good at. They stole various things that helped keep the circus alive and well. However their crimes progressed when they were introduced to the Crovus Clan. They began to give Madame Nina jobs for the boys to do each time that they had passed through the town. The jobs consisted of more stealing, gathering information, and even went as far as assassinations. As vastly different the two group where they agreed with each other not to mess in the other's official business. A job from the clan was not to be affected by the circus and the circus jobs were not to be affected by the clan. However, the clan would moderate what jobs were given to the circus.

The Crovus Clan maintained their ties strictly though Neal Sidonia and niece Caroline Rogers. How Caroline was involved in any of the affairs was entirely unknown but Neal was heavily involved with the matters. He was the one who relayed information to the Crovus Clan that he had received overseas as well as ensured that any threats were dealt with. This allowed the Crovus Clan to continue their work and become deeper within the shadows. The identity of the clan was made a secret from the rest of the circus. Nobody knew what the boys were up to, nor were they informed of anything that Neal was involved in.

When Keith had received his first mission in assassination he was in charge considering how he grew up with his parents. He was very reluctant to take part believing that this was going too far from what they were doing. Lucas had just joined and agreed. The two of them were trying to talk Nicholas and Jack out of doing it but to no prevail they were stuck. Nicholas used brute force on Keith and threatened him. Lucas obliged to the demands and Keith was forced to agree for his own safety. They continued on with the mission and performed the assassination of a merchant who hadn't paid his dues to the Crovus Clan for protection. They performed the assassination quickly and easily. Blood was spilled and it took away their innocence.

Keith remembers to this day staring at his hands and seeing the blood covering them as he let go of the knife he had used. He watched in horror as the lifeless corpse was lying before him never once killing a man himself. Lucas was the same as he stared at Keith after what he had done. Without realizing it, he noticed that the entire family of the merchant was killed not just their one target. Nicholas and Jack shared no expression on their faces as they noted on what had become of the scene. Keith had lost control over himself and his ties to his parents had fully taken over his mental state. After watching them work he was influenced and had taken their mission to the next level.

Keith wanted nothing more but for Lana to not be a part of the massacre that the boys were a part of. He felt that it was his duty to try all that he could to keep her away. However, he was unsure of how long it would last with Lana training so closely with each of them. In his mind it became clear that they were all just training her to be like them. A killer.

The two of them had shared a tent with each other giving the other privacy when needed. He was in his part of the bed as he stared up at the bottom of hers. He could hear her moving around above him trying to adjust herself. The sounds of pages could be heard as he quietly listened. He thought about Lana being a part of the group and the idea still haunted him. He imagined her standing before him covered in blood with no smile on her face. She was empty.

He shook the image out of his head and decided to climb up to see what she was doing. He peered up over her bed and saw her reading a large textbook.

"Whatchyeah reading?"

"A book Madame Nina got me."

"Oh yeah, what's it about?"

"It's about the history of our land. Madame Nina thinks that if I learned more about it then maybe I can put together what happened to my people."

"You're people?"

She closed the book and sat up realizing that she wasn't going to be able to read anymore, "Yeah, you know people like me? According to Madame Nina there were once more people like me. More people with gifted abilities."

"Is that so? So there were more people with your type of power walking around here?"

"Yeah, she says that they were called titans. They were considered to be the guardians of the land. In fact she believes that the royal family themselves were titans before the LeBlanc lineage took over."

"She sure knows a lot."

"I hope to one day figure out what happened to my people. Maybe then I can find out what happened to my people and put a stop to whatever it is going on."

"And how do you suppose you'd do this by yourself."

Keith realized he plucked a nerve in Lana as she stared forward. It had become apparent that she didn't really have the help to go through whatever it was that she was wanting to go through. She sharply turned to him which startled Keith causing him to lose his grip on the bed. He fell flat on the ground as she leaned over.

"Will you help me?"

"Help you do what exactly?" he groaned.

"Help me put a stop to the Hunters!"

"The Hunters? Who are the Hunters?"

"The people who have been after me. I don't know who they are exactly but I've called them the Hunters. They were the ones that you rescued me from. Well them and the Noble's stupid men."

"Oh those schmucks. Yeah of course I'll help you put a stop to whatever it is that is going on."

A large smile came over her face. Keith had no clue what he was about to get himself into and neither did Lana. He knew that she had no starting point aside from the history textbook that she held onto. He watched her as she quickly pulled it open again.

"Don't mean to intrude, but don't you think that you should be taking some sort of notes. I mean if you want to piece together what the hell is going on then you should at least write stuff down."

She quickly jumped down from her bed and grabbed pieces of paper that were in a bag by their bed. She began to frantically write down stuff that she had previously read. Keith paid no attention to her and let her do her own thing. He climbed back into his bed and continued to stare back at the bottom of her bed. Things were going to be different from here on out and he could feel it. Something was off and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He took his glasses off and placed them on the table next to him.

"WAKE UP!" came the bellowing voice of Nicholas.

Keith abruptly shot up from his bed slamming his head on the top of the bunk. Grimacing in pain he got out to find that Lana was not present. He figured that she had went out to train with Eleonore as he got dressed. Nicholas was waiting for him with a stern look on his face. Keith let out a large yawn and stretched allowing the warm summer sun to hit his skin.

"We have a job. Turns out those men who attacked Lana were them and they are not happy. Madame Nina is trying all that she can to change their minds and offer them compensation. That being said, get your ass out of bed and let's go. "

Keith looked back at him with concern. Just when he had thought that the jobs were ending, another one came and found its way to them. Keith hung his head low and made his way back into his tent. He pulled out a cap and placed it on his head. Nicholas passed him a paper of their assignment. Jack and Lucas were already prepared and waiting for them at the front of the ground. On the paper was a note to kill a man to re-establish the ties with the Crovus Clan. Keith's heart sank. He went back inside and grabbed his knives and concealed them all over his body.

With no smile on his face the two made their way to the others. Lana took notice to their departure and quickly rushed towards them.

"KEITH WAIT UP!" she screeched as she caught up to them. "Aren't we going to rehearse today or something?"

"I have other things to do right now I will have to postpone."

"Well then at least let me come with you. It's better than hanging around twinkle toes over there."

"NO!" Keith shouted.

"Keith?" Lana replied quietly.

"You can't," Keith stated turning his back towards her and continuing towards the others.

They left Lana standing before the entrance as she watched them head out to their mission. She watched them leave, worried for what was going on. She hated the idea of being left out on things. Especially when it has Keith behaving in this way. Keith was now her partner and she wanted to be able to know as much as she could from him. She didn't want to keep any secrets between the two. But this was something that Keith didn't want her to be a part of. Lana respected the others and decided that it was in her best interest to remain in the circus no matter how much the little voice inside her head told her otherwise.

Keith and the others made their way through the town. Their goal was to kill a man who was causing trouble with the clan. The man had revealed secret information in regards to their black market selling of various illegal goods. Nicholas had a photograph of the man.

As they wandered through the streets, Keith spotted him. Nicholas nodded towards each of them as they all split off. Nicholas proceeded to watch the man from a far. Jack remained within the shadows hiding himself from sight of anyone. Lucas remained on guard looking out for any knights of the royal army. It was Keith's job to draw the man in to a secluded area.

Keith got close to the man and approached him. He reached into the man's pocket and grabbed a hold of coin pouch he had. He made it clear that he was pickpocketing him to catch the man's attention. Once the man realized what was going on, Keith made a run for it. The others were not far behind as Keith guided the man into a dark alley way.

It was there that Keith was caught in a dead end. Missions like this had become normal for Keith and the others. In a way, when Keith was heavily involved in the trickery of his missions, he often would take a form of joy. He stood with his back up against the wall and smiled at the man knowing what fate had in store for him, the reflection of his parents showing through.

"What the hell are you smiling at you little punk!" the man yelled.

Lucas blocked the exit as Nicholas and Jack arrived at the scene. Jack was awaiting above on the roof as Keith continued to distract him. Nicholas drew his sword and stabbed the man through the heart. He made sure to cover the man's mouth to prevent any screaming. Keith watched as the life of the man drained from his eyes.

"Wanted for black mailing them," Nicholas proclaimed kicking the man's head.

"Sucker fell for the oldest trick," Keith replied almost sad for the man.

"You cold hearted son of a bitch," Lucas proclaimed.

"I still hate doing this type of stuff, but you do have to admit the adrenaline is kind of fun," Keith said with a bit of a sadistic smile as the rush was overcoming his judgement.

"You really are the son of assassins," Jack stated jumping down below. "Come on, let's report back to Madame."


	4. Act 1

The troupe packed up and began to make its way to the next town that they would be performing at. Each time that they would stop, Keith watched as Lana would both read her books and take notes or was training to be a top tier performer. He had begun to realize that she had become determined to be a real performer and not just a freak sideshow. He too decided to make it all in his best efforts to keep practicing.

The night of their arrival, Keith and Lana were in their tent as per usual. Lana was in her bed reading and taking notes as Keith was cleaning off the blades of his knife.

"So what were you doing that day? You seemed pretty upset with me when I wanted to go with you guys."

"Huh, nothing just leave it."

"See there you go again. Look Eleonore said that we might be top tier performers together and if we are going to have this partnership with each other I don't want to keep anything hidden," she shouted leaning over the edge of her bed.

"I told you to leave it Lana," he shouted back slamming his knife into the table.

Lana rolled out of her bed and landed gracefully on her feet. She grabbed a hold of Keith and angrily stared at him in the eyes. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. Unsure of how to respond, Keith remained still.

"I've told you everything about me Keith, it's only fair."

"Alright," he replied pushing her off of him. "You really want to know what we were doing. We were given a special task. We usually do. Madame Nina is involved in some sort of group I don't know what it is but they give her stuff to give us because they are too incompetent to do it themselves. We were…we were tasked to kill someone."

Lana's jaw dropped as she began to step back. She covered her mouth as she continued to listen to what he had to say. Staring at him in complete disbelief

"These people had us doing simple jobs at first but some of the jobs resorted in taking the lives of some people who had crossed them. I don't take pleasure out of any of it. If I could do something to stop it I would trust me."

"Then why don't you!"

"Because then we'd all be dead! They told Madame Nina that if we didn't do as we were told then the whole circus would be dead."

"If they have that type of power then why aren't they doing this themselves?"

"I don't know…I just do as I'm told."

"So that's why when you all rescued me, the deaths of those men were easy for you."

The tension in the room rose as Keith watched her solemn face. Her hands dropped at her sides as she was staring at the ground.

"Yeah, I would guess that would be why."

The two didn't speak to each other the next day. They continued to train under Eleonore without saying anything to each other. They even went as far as to not make eye contact with each other the best that they could. Eleonore tried to address the situation but failed to fix anything. Keith was unsure of how Lana felt about the whole situation but he knew that she thought differently of him and the others. She wasn't around for the meals and kept to herself in the tent. The two didn't even practice throwing knives with one another. The longer that he didn't talk to her the more he felt lonely. Since her arrival, the two of them were nearly glued to each other. They had become so close and he had helped her through her training and learning around the circus. He had even went as far as to teach her archery as they had to hunt for food on the road a skill he had learned from his father.

The following day Neal had gathered all of the boys together and saw the opportunity to get to work. It was their job to pick pocket the citizens and gather any valuables that they might have without causing any trouble to make some extra money. When Keith made his way to the others he found that Lana was with them. She watched him with a stern look on his face. Something was not right.

"What are you doing here?"

"I want in. I'm you're partner," she replied with a low voice.

He looked up at Neal who had approved of her involvement. Keith knew that there was no point in arguing with either of them. He decided to just let things go along with what was happening. They all left the circus and made their way into the town to get to work. Nicholas and Jack were partnered together as Lucas was partnered with Neal. That left Lana and Keith to work together as a team.

Keith wanted to speak to her but he had no clue what to say. He didn't know whether to apologise for keeping things a secret or even if that was something worth apologizing for. He watched her scan the area as she was looking for an easy target. She gestured towards a couple who appeared to be very young and naïve. The woman was dressed in a very nice dress as the man appeared to be a working class man.

"No, we can't go after them."

"Why is that exactly?" she asked with a slight annoyance.

"Well look, she is holding on to him. There is no way we could get to either of their pockets without really being noticed. You don't want to go after people like that who are holding on to each other. Now if they were just walking normally side by side, then we could've used a diversion method. You know have one of us bump into one of them as another reaches for their pockets."

The two of them ignored the couple and continued to wander down the street. Keith gestured to a man walking all by himself. He had his hands concealed in his pockets and kept looking around. There was something unsettling about this particular individual.

"There. That man is hiding something," he gestured.

Lana looked over in the direction and saw the odd man.

"Go over there and act as a distraction while I see what he has."

Lana agreed as she began to follow through with the plan. She made a run towards him and kept her head down. She braced herself for impact as she almost threw herself into him. This caused the man to lurch forward as she fell to the ground.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" he shouted at her.

"Sorry sir. I am so sorry!" she looked over and saw Keith was right behind the man as he was yelling at her. He was starting to reach for his pockets as Lana continued to delay the man's reaction. "I wasn't paying attention. I'm really sorry!"

"Damn right you are!" The man looked over and saw Keith's hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Shit!" Keith shouted.

"RUN!" Lana yelled as he grabbed a hold of his arm. The two made a run for it with his money. They tried to run as fast as they could. Keith dropped the wallet in the process as the man came running after them. Keith turned back to grab the money, only to realize that the man had a gun in his hand. He was carefully aiming it at Keith. His eyes went wide at the sight of the weapon. He left the money and ran after Lana.

"RUN HE HAS A GUN!"

"WHAT!"

"I SAID HE HAS A GUN!" he shouted as he caught up to her.

The blast of a gun could be heard as the bullet nearly hit Keith. He ducked his head in cover as the man went to reload. The two kept running as fast as they could making their way behind a building. Here is where the found Lucas and Neal counting their latest catch. Out of breath, Keith tried to tell them what was happening but was too late. The man chasing after them had reached them and held them at gun point. Lana was scared and hid behind Keith as Neal drew his sword from his cane. He pointed it at the man and vowed to protect them. However, he was no match for a gun. The bullet went straight into his head the moment he went to defend. Lana screamed as Keith watched in horror. Lucas stood his ground as he was ready to strike the man.

Keith knew that none of them stood a chance against a gun. He could feel something at his side as he stood before the man. It was Lana grabbing one of the knives. With tears in her eyes and a shaky stance, she pulled the knife from out of his jacket and ran towards the man. She charged towards him and threw the knife into his throat just as a gunshot was fired. Keith watched her fall with the man as the two landed on the ground.

He quickly pushed passed Lucas with tears in his eyes. He grabbed a hold of Lana and pulled him off of the man to see that she was shot in the stomach. She was limp. Lucas proclaimed the other man to be dead from the strike at his throat. Keith held onto Lana crying trying to figure out what to do. Neal was on the ground dead and Lana was dying.

The shaky boys had no idea what to do or who to grab. It wasn't until Keith could feel movement in his arms. Lana was moving around and started coughing. Steam was rising from the wound that was in her stomach. He watched the wound slowly stop bleeding with the bullet dropping to the ground. It began to close as Lana began to open her eyes.

"That hurt," she said quietly.

"LANA!" Keith shouted.

"No way! How is this even possible," Lucas proclaimed.

"It's her powers."

Nicholas and Jack came around the corner to see the scene that was laid out before them. Nicholas saw Neal on the ground dead. He immediately disregarded the others and went straight for them to confirm his death. Tears welled up in his eyes at the sight of the father figure he once had. Keith helped Lana up from the ground as she had appeared weak. Blood of the man she had killed was all over her clothes along with the still evaporating blood of her own. Lucas picked up Neal and began to carry him back to the grounds.

The news spread like wild fire and the show was cancelled. Madame Nina refused to speak with anyone for days. They remained at the tent and buried Neal within the grounds of the town. No one was training and the entire circus now resided on the shoulders of Madame Nina. Many of the top tier performers had decided to part from the circus. The only thing that was keeping them there was Neal and with him no longer being a part of the circus they decided to part ways.

After a month had passed people had started training again. Madame Nina had declared Nicholas to be the new ringleader of the troupe. He accepted the position with honor and promised everyone that he would do his best. Lana was continuing her training under Eleonore along with Keith, as well as her training with Jack and Nina. Things had resumed as per the usual.

A few more weeks had passed before Keith was announced as a top tier performer. They had travelled to another town away from the burial site. It was decided that Keith would be doing his knife throwing act in replacement of Nicholas' act. He was very excited to finally have an act of his own. Lucas also shared the same dignity as he too was part of the top tier performers due to a lack of performances. Many others took up the positions but Lana was the only one out of their group who still was not up to their level.

As top tier performers, they were given their own tents which meant that Lana was no longer sharing a tent with Keith anymore. It almost meant that there was no chance of her being Keith's partner since his main act was knife throwing. Although Keith was disappointed by this factor he was still happy to be able to do what he loved. She responded to the situation by working on her aerial acrobatics on her own.

It had come time that they all performed their first performance with their new performing line. Knives the knife thrower was the first to perform right after the Ringmaster had made the introductions. Keith got up on the stage and was a little nervous at the sight that was before him. Many eyes were on him. He could feel the sweat on his palms and wondered if he would be able to throw the knives accurately. He looked back at Lana who was waiting in the wings as per the usual.

Things between the two of them were still shaky. She was talking to him at the very least but ever since that incident, he knew that things would never be the same again. With this in his mind he began to lose focus on the show. He tried to shake the thoughts out of his head as the music was playing. He threw the knives and hit his mark with each throw. The crowd went wild at the sight. He could feel the rush of the audience and it felt great.

The Strongman and The Charmer performed their acts next. Lucas showed off his abnormal strength as Jack used his unique talent with snakes. During their performances Keith tried to talk to Lana in the wings.

"Hey, you're not reading any books."

"I decided to take a break. Besides I only have the three books that Madame Nina got for me. I've got almost all the information I can out of all of them."

Keith only nodded not knowing what to say to her.

"It's getting lonely without you in the tent."

"Really?" Keith said trying hard not to sound too excited.

"It's quiet. You tend to snore, so I actually get a good night's sleep."

Keith only glared at her as she responded with a laugh.

"LANA!" came a voice of one of the stage hands.

She looked up at them as they had a panicked look on their face.

"Angel hurt herself! She may have broken an ankle! We need you to take her place."

"ME!" she shouted and stood up.

"You're the only other person who knows aerial acrobatics!"

Keith looked over at her, "You'll do fine!" he stood up and grabbed her shoulders, "You are talented and can do this."

She was pulled away and put into a costume. Nicholas addressed her onto the stage as she timidly entered. Keith watched from the wings just as she was watching him. She was clearly nervous as the fabric was gently dropped to the ground. She looked over to him for reassurance. Keith waved and smiled at her his cheerful smile was enough to relax her. He watched her take in a few deep breaths as the music started. She climbed onto the fabric and begun her routine. She was beautiful, majestic, something of another world. Keith had never seen her acrobatic routine before, only her trapeze work. He was mesmerized by her movements as she swung around. It was something of a dream as he watched her move. The timid girl that he had met before was blossoming. A few petals had been torn off but the vibrant colors remained.

After her performance she hurried back stage and met up with Keith. She was so nervous that she couldn't make any sense.

"Holy cats, that was incredible! You were great!" he proclaimed.

"Thanks! I really had no idea what to do and then I just took what Eleonore said. I just listened to the music and felt it. It was like a whole other situation up there."

Nicholas came up to both of them and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"That was beautiful Lana."

She grabbed his hand and smiled sweetly towards him. Keith watched the two of them and awkwardly stood before them. Jealousy came over him as he glared at Nicholas. Nicholas only responded with a slight smile towards him and tipped his hat. He left the two of them and made his way towards the stage. Lana took notice to Keith's changed demeanour.

"Keith are you ok?"

"Fine, let's go get undressed."

The next day Keith was sharpening the end of his knife so that it would stick better in the target for the next show. He was sitting by himself quietly enjoying the day not letting anything get to him. He could hear voices from behind and realized that it was Madame Nina and Caroline. Their voices caught his attention as he quietly listened.

"I don't think that Eleonore will be able to do any performances for a while," Caroline said.

"That's a shame. The poor thing only wanted to perform and nothing more. However after Neal's passing I always felt like something like this would happen."

"I beg your pardon?"

"She injured herself on purpose."

"Why would she do that?"

"Because she never wanted to blatantly give up on something. She wanted to make it seem like she kept going until the bitter end."

"So you think she fell on purpose."

"Come on dearie, this is Angel we are talking about."

"True, so does that mean Lana will take her place?"

"If that is her decision to accept or not then yes."

"What about her powers."

"What about them. She has full control over them now. In fact she is quiet the remarkable one. She can heal at an accelerated rate far beyond that of a normal human. Plus she can grow up to five meters with different versions," Madame Nina stated walking around the tent.

Keith began to listen more intently onto the conversation as he packed up the knives.

"Why yes, she has one skinless form which I'm sure you've seen. Then there is one that has an armor of bones with no skin. The third one I've seen is unlike the others. It's almost monster like, something like a fairy tale. It really is scary that one. All in all, she is a remarkable being," Nina continued.

"So what do you plan on doing with her? I mean, we do have the deal still with the clan, right? We aren't just going to fall back on them now that my uncle has passed," Keith heard Caroline say.

He never knew that Caroline was related to Neal in any way or form. He knew that she was brought into the circus because of him but never because they were family. This caught Keith's attention more than ever.

"That clan only wants the power for themselves because of that quack of a doctor that your father is. He has manipulated them in thinking that they could have the power to become an even greater force to be dealt with. They only want to have things go their way," Madame Nina replied with spite in her voice.

"And what is it that you want from me then?"

"I want you to take the research that your father has developed. The Sidonia's deserve what is rightfully theirs. Besides, I plan on seeing what else she can do, you never know what could happen."

"Research, interesting."

"Hey Keith, where have you been!" Lucas called out.

Startled by the voice, Keith fell to ground. He had failed to realize the plans that he had made with Lucas earlier on in the day. He thought hard about what Madame Nina was saying which brought him into further suspicion that something was going on. It had been a while since people were after Lana and he wondered if there was a reason. He began to feel that there was something deeper going on.

"What does she want with her," Keith stated on under his breath in his train of thought.

"What's that?"

"Never mind."

Keith wanted to be sure that the Corvus Clan stuck with their deal that Neal had created. He wanted to be sure that Lana was safe. However, the research that Caroline suggested was of a different concept. It was up to Keith to get to the bottom of things and figure out the darker secrets that resided within the Sidonia Circus.

Everyone was well aware of Neal's frequent trips overseas. During his time away, Nicholas would step up and be the ringmaster for the performances that were missed. However, what nobody considered asking was why Neal had this trips to begin with. Keith began to theorize that Neal was running some kind of errands for the Crovus Clan. From what he knew, the Crovus Clan were lying low after the incident long ago. They didn't want to create a larger target on their back then what they had already had. Even though they were known to take out the trash within the underworld, they were still kept under careful watch of the Royal Knights and were constantly trying to avoid getting captured. The deal that currently stands with the Sidonia Circus and the Corvus Clan was not clear to Keith and the others. As far as Keith could comprehend, they were given tasks to eliminate those who were becoming a problem for the clan. The clan often made deals with business owners for protection, or were paid by aristocrats to take out enemies of their families. However, Keith would recall missions where they had to steal peculiar items from known doctors such as medical tools. In return the Corvus Clan would protect the circus from any harm and promised that the clan would bring the Sidonia Circus to the top.

It was finally declared that Lana was also to be known as one of the top tier performers after the departure of Eleonore. With all of the hard work and practice, Lana was considered skilled enough to finally perform alongside the others. The group decided it was time for them to celebrate. They all sat around a roaring fire as they clinked their cups toasting for their new found future with each other. Each one of them were finally given new costumes that would better accommodate their stature as top tier performers. Lana's training sessions were finally complete and anything else was on her own practice and will. Keith even proclaimed that her skills as a knife thrower almost matched his own. At that time his training had become official and announced. Although he did admit to Madame Nina that they had been practicing for some time. He was punished for the matter and was not allowed to perform for the next two shows. This was alright in his mind and a punishment he was willing to have.

Keith and Lana had begun talking to each other normally again although she had become more and more involved in her books. He decided to look past that and still saw all the opportunities to share with her. The two had become close to one another yet again.

It was declared that more supplies were needed before they headed off towards the next town. Lana and Keith both decided that it was their turn to gather up the supplies. Although some denied them leaving due to them now being top tier performers, they decided to go anyways. Status was nothing to them, they didn't care if they were top tier or no tier. They wanted to help the troupe the best that they could. At this point, Lana had refused to leave the circus ground without Keith by her side. The two were becoming inseparable once more.

As they made their way through the town, Lana took in the sights the best that she could. Keith admired her deeply for her passion on taking in the moments. They gathered the things that they needed and began to depart back to the grounds. Keith, every once in a while would steal glances at her as her bright green eyes shone. However, when he looked at her for the final time something had changed. Her happy eyes showed fear. She stopped dead in her tracks and dropped her basket of fruit. She was completely frozen in fear staring straight ahead of her. Keith followed her gaze and saw four men dressed all in black. They were looking towards the two of them. One of them took notice to Lana as she remained frozen.

"Lana what is it, what's going on?" Keith asked trying to shake her out of the state she was in.

He kept switching his gaze from her to the group of men. It was then that he realized that the group of men had started walking towards them. Keith realized what was going on and decided to try and get Lana to run. She immediately responded as Keith guided her through the street and passed people. The four men were not far behind them as the two kept running as fast as they could. Keith reached into his jacket and pulled out some knives. He turned around and quickly threw them. He aimed at the men in a way that wouldn't kill them but at the very least slow them down. A knife hit the leg of one of them and the foot of another.

Keith and Lana kept running away as fast as they could with the delay that was successful. They were able to make it to the grounds without any further problems. Once further in, Keith was still on high alert and made sure that everything was safe. He brought Lana to her tent as she was trying to calm herself down. She sat on her bed and began to cry.

"I'm so sorry,"

"Sorry! Sorry for what!"

"For causing you so much trouble!"

"No, it's not your fault Lana!"

"YES IT IS! IF I WASN'T WHO OR WHAT I AM THEN NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED."

"What are you talking about?"

"If I had only been captured right from the beginning then everyone would still be alive!"

"Woah hey now! Don't talk like that! Look things happen for a reason."

Lana looked up at him in disgust. Keith knew that at that point nothing he could say would make the situation any better than it already was. He knew that the people after them, the people she knew as the Hunters, were the Crovus Clan. Something was not right which caused further suspicion with the Sidonia's. He alongside the others did all that they could to conceal that little bit of information from Lana for her own protection.

He rubbed his face trying to come up with something to say to her but was coming up with nothing. Finally the words came through, "No matter what happens to us I don't ever want you to blame yourself. We chose to help you, we chose to be friends with you. Understand that would yeah!"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Although what he said wasn't exactly great, it was better than saying nothing at all. At least that was what he thought in his mind. However, he was able to at least break through to her. She grabbed him in a hug looking for reassurance. He responded and held onto her making sure that she was going to be alright. It was decided that he would not to leave her side and remained there until morning. He very well knew that whatever deal that was made between the circus and the clan had been broken.

He left early in the morning to start work in the kitchen, leaving Lana alone in her tent. Keith told Lucas what happened including information on what he heard from Madame Nina and Caroline. He informed of Lucas of the break in the deal that must have been made. The Crovus Clan should have left them alone if they deal was properly finalized. Something must have happened that prevented them from following through. It was too much of coincidence in Keith's eyes that all of this was happening right after the death of Neal. Lucas tried to blow the whole thing off as Keith's over reactive imagination thinking that it was either an accident or a different group of people. Frustrated, Keith gave up on Lucas and decided to head back to Lana. As he was leaving the tent he could see that Lana was already sitting at one of the benches. Nicholas was sitting next to her with his arm around her. She was wrapped up in a blanket. Rage filled Keith, but he knew that it was best to not start anything now, especially with how fragile she was at the time. Being chased after had completely destroyed her. Her behaviour was just like when she had arrived at the circus with the exception of the affection shown towards Nicholas. Keith walked passed the two of them completely ignoring what was going on.


	5. Round 2

Each day went by as did each new performance. Newer members started joining the show just as the veterans were retiring. It started becoming a cycle ever since the death of Neal. Some of the newer recruits were people running away or wanting new lives. Most were people who were down on their luck. They were the types of people who were casted out of their families for being different or forced to live on their own due to unfortunate circumstances. Most of these newer recruits were young children or those in their late teens.

A young boy by the name of Felix had joined the crew. His parents died in a fire and with no other relatives to speak of, he was forced to live on the streets. He was very young and quiet, not wanting to get involved in anything and keeping his distance from the others. Everything was scary to him no matter what it was. It was like he was in constant fear.

Two girls born as twins were recruited into the circus. It was rumored that their parents were unable to afford to have them in their household. They were brought to an orphanage as soon as they were born believing that they would get a better life. At the orphanage they were mocked and bullied for being twins. They ran away at a very young age and found the Sidonia Circus. Nico and Nisha were welcomed as part of the family with open arms. The chipper girls brought sunlight everywhere they went warming the hearts of everyone they met. It was hard to believe that they were ever bullied.

A boy of a strange rarity was something much unexpected. He had pale skin and strange eyes with snow white hair. Caroline diagnosed the child's condition as being a form of albinism, a condition that was uncommon. Xander grew up on his own because he was different. There were those who believed that his had a contagious condition. However, upon arriving to the circus, there were those who shared their differences with the boy. He felt welcomed among those whose skin were patchy or covered in freckles.

These four faces became the newest generations among others. These were the ones who would become the next in line to run the circus. It was now up to Keith and the others to train them well as the next generation. Keith took on Felix to show him the ropes. Although very unsure as to if he would be able to be a mentor, the young boy was eager to start a new chapter of his life. Everyone else had become teachers and guides to the other young recruits. Although, being young themselves and still learning as they go, they all sought to be able to become the best influences that these younger kids would have.

"So your name is Felix huh?" Keith asked sitting upon a crate.

"Yes sir," he replied quietly, his brown eyes reminding Keith of a small rabbit.

"Sir? Nah, just call me Keith."

"Yes sir," the boy looked up at Keith as he glared at him with annoyance. "I mean Keith."

"That's more like it. I guess Madame Nina wants me to teach you knife throwing. Are you sure that you'll be able to handle that?"

Felix shrugged.

"You don't really like to talk much do you?"

In the distance Keith could see Lana walking with Nicholas. He was curious as to what was going on but didn't want to interfere. He watched them closely as Felix was eagerly waiting to hear what Keith had to say next. Keith watched as Lana and Nicholas were talking with one another ignoring the poor little Felix. He couldn't make out what they were saying but whatever it was just said made Lana giggle. She covered her mouth and started laughing. Jealousy came over Keith as he watched the two interact with each other. Felix only watched Keith, too afraid to say anything to him.

Feelings for her had grown as they all started to grow older. To him she was getting prettier each day that passed by. Her long black hair that was tied delicately in a white ribbon dancing with her movements was one of his favorite things about her.

"Keith?" Felix called out breaking the silence.

"Sorry let's just get to work."

Keith started teaching the young Felix how to throw knives the same way he had taught Lana over a year ago. The images of Nicholas and Lana together caused Keith to lose his focus on his training with Felix.

As the days went on the training continued. Felix and the others started warming up to their mentors. They were almost like a part of the group. The night before they were about to reach town, they decided to camp out along the side of the road as per usual. Due to the recent involvement with Keith, he had become completely devoted to training Felix. He had started spending less and less time with Lana considering how she was heavily enthralled with the books she was given. Each town that they had been through was a new book to add to her collection. Some of the books were in regards to the history of the land while others were about useful skills that would help get her by. Through these books and with the help of the others around her, she had become quite valued around the circus. With her growing powers and strength she was capable of doing so much more.

Lucas on the other hand, had pushed himself to take over the kitchen and maintenance since the main stage hand had left the troupe. He was quite the skillful person himself in the sense where he was able to solve most problems that were at hand. He was able to fix many things that had broken and was able to prepare a meal with barely anything to cook with. Xander was around him as often as he could, just so that he too could one day be like Lucas.

Keith was often jealous of what the others had made of themselves. Even Nicholas was a respectable leader of the troupe. He had become the true face of Sidonia as Madame Nina herself had stepped into his shadow. She was driving him to be the main force of the show. Jack always remained secluded regardless of the situation. He never really wanted to get involved much and it never really bothered anyone. He was always listening to what Madame Nina had to say and remained by her side as an errand boy. It was as if he had become a form of servant for her more so than what he was before Neal's passing.

As they sat around the fire trying to keep themselves warm, Keith took notice to Lana burying herself once again in a book. She was taking notes as she was going, meaning that this was one of her newer books that may help her on her journey. Nicholas sat next to her talking away as Felix and the twins were enjoying the moment with their teachers.

"Lana would you put the goddamn book down for once!" Nicholas proclaimed.

She glanced at him and closed her book. She put it in her bag and placed it at her side. Keith noticed something shining behind her as she had moved the bag away.

"Hey Lana, whatchyeah got there?"

"Oh this," she turned around and pulled out a rapier, "Nicholas gave it to me. He thought that since I was trained with a sword then I should have one of my very own."

Nicholas smiled and put his arm around her, "Gotta have some way to protect yourself without going all berserk."

Keith glared at Nicholas as Lana only chuckled in response. The evening continued and soon everyone retired for the night. The next morning, they had arrived in the town where Keith was from. As per usual, everything was set up in a secluded ground outside of the town.

Madame Nina had pulled the top tier performers aside to brief them as to what was going to occur during the performance in the next couple of days. She wanted to test the younger recruits and their devotion to the circus. She wanted to see how far they would go for the circus. It was requested each one of the top tier performers to verify their skill level of pick pocketing. The plan was to have the recruits wander through the benches and pick pocket almost all of the audience members during Lana's performance. It had become clear that as she performed, her movements captivated most people and allowed them to have the perfect opportunity to try out the plan.

Keith had informed Felix of what was going to happen as soon as the others separated. He wasn't excited to pick pocket at all. He wanted nothing to do with the plan. However his desire to remain with the circus outweighed his fears.

"If I have to remain here, then I will do whatever it takes."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Keith asked cleaning off the lenses of his glasses.

"Because this circus means everything to me. I only want to help it in any way or form that I can. If that means stealing, then I will do it. I don't believe that it is right, but if this is something I must do to keep being here, then I want to help. The circus is my home."

Keith was intrigued by what he had to say. He knew that Felix was happy to be a part of the troupe, but he never realized how far he would really go to remain here.

"Very well, do you know how to pick pocket someone?"

Felix shook his head no.

"Then we have a lot to work on if you're going to succeed."

Keith was determined to show Felix everything he had learned about being a thief. From how to sneak around and go unnoticed to being able to gather the goods and leave. He had faith in Felix's abilities that he would be able to do it.

It was finally show time. The younger recruits were dressed as normal citizens among the colorful costumes. Felix was entirely scared to take part in the plan. He kept shaking as Nico and Nisha were mocking him for being so scared.

"Scaredy cat, scaredy cat," they chanted simultaneously.

"Nico, Nisha, that's enough," Keith sternly said to them.

"Oh yeah and what are you going to do about it!" Nico shouted.

"We ain't scared of yeah!" Nisha replied.

Keith jokingly raised his daggers and threatened the young girls.

"Keith that's enough," Nicholas ordered as he approached the group.

Keith knew that he didn't want to start any further troubles and stood down.

"Tch," he replied as he slumped over to Lucas' side.

Lucas tried his best to talk it over with Keith. For a while Lucas had seen that Keith was behaving more differently than ever before.

"What's eating at you?" he asked.

"Nothing, I've told you before."

"That there wasn't nothing. Talk to me."

"I'm sick and tired of Nicholas. He always thinks that he is just better than everyone else just because he is the ringmaster and practically Madame Nina's son."

"Are use sure there isn't anything else?"

Keith pouted and didn't respond.

"Oh come on, you and I both know that there is something else you are hiding in that small noggin of yours. It's about Lana isn't it?"

Keith turned away from him trying to avoid the conversation.

"Look, I don't know what the deal is between the two of you, but I would just give it up already man. She thinks of you as a brother. There is no way of getting past that."

"I have to perform," Keith said with irritation as he began to make his way towards the stage.

He performed his stunts with the anger firing his every movements. His throws were fast and strong. The blades stuck into his target straight with every throw he had made. He called upon Lana who would be his volunteer, a new feature to his act.

Since Lana has accelerated healing far beyond a normal human, she volunteered herself to become part of Keith's act. If a knife was thrown at her and hit her she would be fine the minute the blade was pulled out. Granted the reaction from the audience would be a different story. They were prepared to take whatever risks needed to put on a great show.

She was tied up to the circular target and blindfolded. Keith was also blindfolded in the process which was something unknown to Lana. The audience began to whisper in fear of what the worse outcome would be. The fixture that Lana was tied up on was spun around by a stage hand. With the creaking of the boards she was placed on, Keith imagined where she would be at what time.

Just as he normally had done before, he took in a few deep breaths and focused on the target that was before him. His first knife was thrown and landed in between her legs. The crowd screamed the minute the knife landed on the board. When it had become apparent that she was unharmed they went wild. The next knife was quickly thrown along with another right after. The knives landed on each side of her body. The crowd continued to cheer yet again at the sight.

Anger was still within Keith as he was trying to maintain focus. So far the performance was going great. However, his final throw was not as lucky. He threw the knife without focusing fully on the target. The minute he had realized that his throw was sloppier than before he called out to Lana.

"TILT YOUR HEAD LEFT!" he shouted as his arm was still following his throw.

She quickly responded, trusting his instincts. The very second she had moved, the knife landed in the spot part of her head was in. The knife clipped her ear causing a small trail of blood to trickle down. Thanks to Keith's instincts he was able to determine where the knife was going to land.

He pulled off the blindfold and started feeling regret. He let his emotions get the best of him during the entire performance. Although he knew that Lana was capable of healing, he still was angered with himself for putting her at harm's way. When the two walked back to the wings, she tried to reassure him that she was fine and even thanked him for what he did. He continued to try and calm himself down as the others went on to do their performances. With Lana by his side he was able to relax a little more after countless apologies towards her.

It finally came time for Lana's performance and for the pick pocketing plan to go through. Earlier on, the others had went within the bleachers up high and awaited for their cue to proceed. Nicholas anxiously watched them from within the wings with Madame Nina to see if the plan would work out.

Lana grabbed a hold of the fabric and had begun to lose herself in the music. Her majestic moves captivated the audience members as per usual. Keith watched as the young recruits started to move. He carefully kept an eye out for Felix but soon lost him in the crowd. He began to feel more anxious the longer he couldn't see him concerned for his student.

Partway through the performance a loud yell could be heard from within the audience.

"Damnit," Nicholas shouted.

"What the hell is going on here!" on older man yelled. He had stood up from his seat holding onto Xander's wrist.

Keith had some relief come over him when he knew that it wasn't Felix. However, the situation had become serious as their plan had failed.

"What is the meaning of this?" He continued to shout.

At this time the music had stopped playing and all eyes were on the man. Lana stood before the stage and watched in horror. Keith didn't know what to do. He didn't know if he should run up to the man and grab Xander, or if he should wait. He kept looking back to Madame Nina to see what they should be doing but she remained still. She only watched in silence as if the scene playing before her meant nothing.

"Over here too!" a woman shouted holding onto Nico.

"And here," cried another as they held onto Nisha.

An uproar had overcome the tent. Many people were yelling and threatening the circus. They knew right away that they were behind the massive pick pocketing. Others cried out that it was scheme while a few called out for people to get the knights of the Royal Army. Lana collapsed down to the ground covering her ears. She was trying to control herself in her surroundings. Keith was aware of what was going on as he watched her panicking. He tried to go and help her but was stopped by Nicholas' cane.

"Can't you see she needs help!" he shouted.

"And can't you see that they do to. What are you going to do about that," Nicholas replied with a sly undertone in his voice.

On the stage Lana quickly muttered to herself over and over again. "Stop it, stop it, stop it," she kept saying to herself until finally she lost it. "STOP IT!" she shouted.

Everyone in the tent could feel a sudden shiver up their spines, including those in the wings. Keith peered out and saw that everyone in the audience had stopped moving. They all remained still and quiet. Quickly he and Lucas rushed out and gathered all of the recruits and pulled them back to the safety of the stage. As Keith ran past Lana, he saw a trickle of blood coming out of her nose. The sight was of a great deal of concern to him.

Madame Nina had rushed on stage and started to pull the girl. She was completely emotionless at the sight of what had happened. No one could figure out what caused the audience to fall silent and still. It didn't last long but the confused people stammered out of the tents and ended the show for the night.

In the wings, Lana had collapsed from exhaustion. Madame Nina had quickly brought her to the medical tent where Caroline would examine her. Keith wasn't far behind them after he and Lucas had gathered all of the recruits. He left them in Lucas' hands knowing that he was best at calming people down.

He followed Madame Nina quietly behind after her abrupt request for no one to follow her. Even Nicholas was forbidden to join them in the medical tent. This was a cause of suspicion which prompted Keith to disobey.

"What happened?" he could hear Caroline speak.

"It happened."

"It?"

"Yes, the true hidden power of the royal titans."

"Ok now you are just talking nonsense."

"She yelled out to the audience and they all obeyed."

"Really, she did that? So what you're telling me is that she has the full gift, the one from the legends?"

"Yes!"

"Ok great, now this is just one more power on our hands. What do you suppose we do now?"

"Train her, see how strong it can get. I can tell that this was her first time using it. I don't even believe that the poor child knew she had it."

"I see, so this is what happened to her. I wonder if she strained herself too much by using it. No matter, practice makes perfect I guess."

"This is beautiful. Now the future seems to be brighter with this one."

"Are you really sure that you want to go through with this?"

"What is hers will be mine."

He could hear Madame Nina pull apart the drapes of the entrance and make her exit. He remained silent as she passed controlling his breath in the process so that he would go unnoticed. He continued to listen in to hear if there was anything that Caroline would have to say.

"Poor thing. You have been through enough hell as it is. I can only imagine how dark the future is for you. I regret making this deal with her it was only with Uncle Neal, but it was for the sake of my own protection. I just hope that you will remain safe dear Lana. It won't be much longer now. Let's just hope you survive long enough for us to do it."

"Nicholas," he could hear Lana whisper.

It was at that moment that his world was shattered. He knew truly where her heart lied. He was horrified by the belief that he had lost her to the arrogant prick that was Nicholas. He got up from the ground and made a run for the main performing tent disregarding what he heard Caroline say. Lucas was still inside trying to keep the others calm after what they had been through. They were all quiet and keeping themselves warm as Keith came barging in.

"NICHOLAS YOU BASTARD!" He shouted.

Nicholas was standing before him unaware of what Keith had just heard. Keith had jumped onto Nicholas causing the two of them to fall to the ground. He was on top of Nicholas and grabbed a hold his collar. He threw punch after punch at his face in anger that he had lost the never ending rivalry that was between the two of them. The younger members screamed and started crying at the brutal display that was being shown in front of them. Lucas tried to talk Keith out of it but knew that there was no way of getting through to him. Nicholas only responded with laughter which caused Keith to stop.

With his fist still raised high in the air he stared at the bloodied Nicholas confused.

"What's so funny?"

"Why you of course. Have you finally come to terms as to what is going on around you? I mean look at you! You really thought that you stood a chance? There was no way in hell that she was ever going to go for a guy like you. And don't even get me started on the little secret sessions you two were having for a while there."

Keith dropped his fist and listened.

"You think that you are this all great performer and teacher, but in reality you are nothing. You are nothing but the poor son of the sick twisted assassins. Admit it, you take joy and pride in the work and the legacy of your parents each time we go out."

"That's enough Nicholas," Lucas shouted.

Nicholas pushed Keith off of him and continued to speak.

"You come into the circus all moody and sad when your life is all of sudden turned around by the ray of sunshine. Then things went all crazy when a girl came. You started acting all defensive and moody again the minute I got involved. Your petty behaviour had actually drove Lana towards me. I win Keith. I win."

"Nicholas!" Lucas shouted.

"No Lucas, he's right," Keith replied quietly.

"That's right big shot, I'm always right," Nicholas said walking away.

Later that night, Keith was alone in his tent. He was reflecting on the words that Nicholas had said to him. The blood on his knuckles were proof that things were not the same and that they never would be.

When he first joined the circus, he vowed that he would never take part in any crimes. However with the latest changes to the circus he was ordered to proceed in the dastardly actions again. It was his duty to fulfill.

With Lucas acting as his sanity, he was almost granted a somewhat normal lifestyle. He wasn't as angry and didn't take things seriously. He lived a carefree life no matter what. Then she had arrived as a part of his life. She was fragile and scared which reminded Keith of himself during the darker times before Lucas. It hurt him knowing the things that she had been through. He vowed to himself that he would keep her safe no matter what it took without realizing that it was costing him his friendships.

He had become distant from the others. He was angrier and even resulted in lashing out at poor Felix at times. It was his job to be a teacher, a form of guidance for the next coming generation of performers. He began to think that he was unfit for the job in his current condition. Every word that Nicholas had stated was correct. He was a pathetic pitiful being with nothing to live for.

"Keith are you still awake," came the sweet voice of Caroline.

He greeted her at the entrance trying to wipe away and tears that may have formed.

"Lana wants to be with you if that's alright. Her condition has improved, but she will still be resting in the medical tent for the night."

Keith eagerly went to see her. When he arrived, he saw her lying in the bed of the medical tent with the warm covers over her.

"There you are. I was wondering when you'd be showing up."

"Sorry that I wasn't really there for you."

"What are you talking about?" she asked sitting up.

"For when you collapsed. I should have been there."

"Don't worry about me. In fact I'm more worried about you. You've been acting up. Look if you have something to say then say it. Remember no secrets between partners."

He looked up at her with a bit of hope in her eyes.

"Lana, I've been meaning to ask you. Do you have feelings for Nicholas?"

"FEELINGS! Oh geez, maybe I don't know it's really hard to say. I mean we have kissed a couple of times before, but I don't know it's awkward a bit. Is that really what you wanted to know?"

His heart sank once more, "Yeah it is."

"You know Keith, I'm really glad that you're here. It means a lot to me. And just having you be so concerned for my wellbeing and everything makes me feel kind of like a sister. I mean all of the stuff we have been though and all of the things you've taught me. You are always looking out for me. It's really nice to have someone like you in my life."

"I'm glad that you're in my life too," he replied with a hurtful smile.

Keith spent the night at Lana's side. He was hurt and held onto a lot of resentment, but he still managed to sleep. He felt that if he were to continue this never ending pursuit, then he would surely drive himself crazy. It was time for him to let go and live their lives as they should.


	6. I'll Kill You

Time goes by as Keith began to become more and more at ease. The heartbreak he had faced before was starting to disappear. He had finally come to terms with what was at hand. His personality become more like it was before, carefree and often spontaneous. Under specific circumstances he was more focused than he had ever been in a while. There was no full explanation as to what had come over him to revert him back to his normal self, but having everything thrown out on the table for him had enabled him to draw his attention to more important matters. It was his duty to take part in the wellbeing of the circus and make sure that Felix was well trained so that he too can one day become a top tier performer.

Although as the time had passed, the underlying hatred of Nicholas still remained. He still considered Nicholas to be a close ally and an asset to the group, but he still couldn't let go of the fact that Nicholas can be unpredictable. On the surface of things, it had appeared that Keith was the most to change when Lana first joined the troupe, but what was underneath was the lurking shadow of the sly fox. Nicholas had become cocky and more enveloped in himself than ever before. Since Lana had given him more attention, he had become full of himself in a way. As if he were the king of a castle. This form of arrogance had created a fire within Keith.

Something within him didn't feel right. He felt that Lana was in some form of trap. All he wanted to do was protect her still even though he knew that the feelings wouldn't be mutual. He understood that Lana trusted Nicholas to no end and it was her trust in him that may very well be her downfall. Nicholas had always appeared to be a trickster of some sort to get his way in any way or form. Keith feared that if something were to happen involving Lana and Nicholas, then problems would arise.

What mattered most at the time, was the overall respect that Keith needed to have with Nicholas. Keith needed to put down his own thoughts and feelings for the sake of the others. Even though grudges were created, he needed to maintain his focus. In doing so he had begun to keep himself around Lucas just as he had before. Lucas was his rock and sanity who helped keep him in his right set of mind.

The two were killing time with each other near the main tents. There wasn't anything planned for the day nor was there much to do. All they were doing was playing a card game that Neal had taught them long ago. As they were playing their game, Keith couldn't help but to bring up Nicholas once more.

"I saw Nicholas with Lana the other day."

"Would you just let it go already? Your jealousy is driving me crazy!"

"The guys said that he would pretty much do anything to get his way no matter what it was. What if something happens?"

"And what do you suppose you'll do if something does happen?"

Keith was quiet at first as he laid down a card.

"I'd kill him."

"WOAH!" Lucas yelled in response dropping all of his cards on a crate. "Where is this coming from? I knew that you two didn't exactly get along but this is insane!"

"We only get along because we have to. We are the special group after all. In the end I don't exactly care for him and his arrogant behaviour. The guy is crazy, I mean even I'm scared of what he could do next."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, just the other day he got so pissed off at Xander that he threatened to throw him out of the circus."

"Can he do that?"

"Beats me, but who's not to say that he won't go crying to Nina and make it happen."

"Mama's boy."

"Exactly, that's how he is able to have all of this power."

"So you'd really kill him if you had a valid reason to?"

"Yeah I would."

The idea of killing Nicholas was not the first time that it had crossed his mind. When he had first joined the circus, he had gotten into a quarrel and was not hesitant to strike him down. Keith was stopped by those around them and was almost kicked out of the circus. After that moment, bullying and torment followed. Each day that Nicholas got into Keith's face is a reminder that he once had that chance and almost had it. However as those days come and go, he is also reminded of the type of life he wanted to leave behind. He didn't want to be a known as a killer and yet that's what he was thinking of becoming. The idea of killing Nicholas would make him even more of a murder than he already was. Each time the blood had been spilled was a job, but killing Nicholas was something else entirely. This was for his own desire and deep down inside, he was unsure of if he would be capable of doing it.

The more Keith had thought about it, the more he wondered what would happen if he really did kill him. He wondered what the others would think. There would be no hope for him remaining in the circus. Where he would go was entirely up to him, he was still a kid so his options would be slim. He began to further think about if killing him was even worth it to begin with. Nicholas would be dead, and then what would he do. How would he proceed from then on?

Keith was wandering through the grounds in search of Felix. It was time for their training practice. He walked through the light snow that had fallen on the ground ensuring that he kept his eyes out for any ice. Lana was with Felix as the two were trying to stay warm. She invited him into her tent to read some of the books that she had been studying.

As the time went on, Lana had become more enthralled in history. Sharing it with someone was something she highly enjoyed. It enabled her to get her thoughts together more clearly than before. As Keith entered, he saw her sitting on the bed with Felix on the ground eagerly listening to every word that she had to say.

"Burying your nose into another book I see," Keith proclaimed upon entry.

Lana looked up from her book and happily greeted him with her usual kind smile. Felix did the same and got up from the ground.

"You know me, I just can't really go a day without reading through the books."

"I swear you must have read some of these books at least three times or more."

"I just don't want to miss anything. Anything can be some sort of clue."

"You really are something aren't yeah."

"Get out of here," she said with a grin on her face.

Keith and Felix left her alone to be trapped in her work and headed towards an open area. Keith had once again set up a target at a far distance away from Felix. He pulled out a white cloth from his pocket and calmly approached him. Felix was very unsure as to what was going on but didn't bother asking any questions. Keith gently covered Felix's eyes with the cloth and made sure that he was unable to see at all.

"You want me to throw these knives without seeing where I am throwing them?" Felix questioned looking around to try and figure out where Keith was standing.

"Exactly. You need to be able to improve your range and abilities if you ever plan on reaching my level of expertise. Just be thankful that you didn't have to go through the training that I did."

Felix lifted a piece of the cloth to see where Keith was, "You're training?"

"I had to figure out how to do this stunt on my own. No one was around to help me."

"What do you mean, I thought the old ringmaster was your teacher?"

Keith lowered his head in respect, "He had passed before I was able to pick up on anything else," he lifted his head, "but you are in luck because I am here to teach you."

Keith pulled the cloth down and grabbed a hold of Felix's hand. He gently placed a knife in his palm and stepped back away from him. He knew from his own experience that throwing knives while blindfolded was entirely different than throwing them normally. Without the line of sight, you needed to rely on your other senses to be able to determine where you need to throw and verify when it was safe to throw.

In the past months Felix had become quite skilled at throwing knives. He learned the skill at a slower rate than Lana had, but had still progressed tremendously since his arrival at the circus. Keith was confident that Felix will succeed in achieving this stunt.

He watched as Felix prepared himself and stood in his normal stance. With his arms folded, Keith watched in silence and let Felix try and figure it out himself. Felix took a few minutes to himself to try and figure out where to direct his body. With a nervous effort, he threw the knife straight ahead. Keith watched as the knife nearly hit the target. He expected this much at the level Felix was at now. He didn't think that he would hit the target on the first try. However little to Keith's knowledge, Felix had already grabbed a new knife. His response was faster and he managed to hit the target.

"Impressive. I knew you wouldn't be able to get it on you first try. But on the second try, even I couldn't do that."

Felix lifted his blind fold and smiled at him.

"Just next time make sure you know what is going on in your surroundings before you throw a knife. What if I happened to be standing in your line when you threw it?"

Realizing his mistake Felix apologized for his actions, "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to. I just thought that maybe if I kept going then maybe I would get it."

"It's fine, but how did you know the knives where right next to you anyways?"

"I heard them rattle when you put them down, and I figured it would be safe to throw a second knife because I didn't hear the rustling of your shoes."

Keith was amazed by the natural talent that Felix had. He never would have thought that Felix would be able to pick out his surrounding that quickly by using nothing but his sense of hearing.

As Keith continued to instruct Felix, Nicholas appeared on the scene with Jack. Keith tried to ignore them the best that he could and continued on with his training session. However, Nicholas had other plans in mind. He had grabbed the little bit of snow that was on the ground and packed it together to form a ball. With the snowball, he aimed for Keith's head and made his throw. The cold snow hit Keith along the side of the head.

"What the hell Nick!"

"What, I'm just trying to have a little fun," he said with a sarcastic tone.

"And I'm trying to have a training session with Felix so beat it."

"Oh come on, don't tell me that you're no fun and all work."

"Nicholas go be a dick somewhere else."

"What was that?" Nicholas shouted grabbed more snow.

"Keith don't," whispered Felix.

"I said, go be a dick somewhere else."

"You really are asking for it aren't you?" Nicholas replied forming another snowball.

"Look I'm always tired of you picking on me, I just want you to leave me alone."

"And I thought we were friends."

"Tch."

Nicholas threw another snowball at Keith. Felix ducked out of the way of the splatter as Keith blocked the ball from hitting his face. He wiped off the little bit of snow off of his face as he began to grow angrier by the second. Nicholas wasn't hesitant to throw another snowball at him. Felix ran to get someone else to try and stop the two. Keith tried to control himself but was beginning to lose patience.

"Little Keith, when are you going to learn."

"Learn what exactly."

"That you will never win anything. I mean just look at you."

"That's enough!" he shouted and charged at him.

Keith went in to punch Nicholas in the face but missed. Nicholas dodged the attack and kicked him in the stomach. Keith landed on the cold icy ground hard with the wind knocked out of him. He regained himself and got up to try again. This time when his swing missed he was prepared for the attack. He dodged the kick and went in for a second strike. The two kept attacking each other as Jack did nothing to stop them. He stood by and watched as the two boys were scrambling at each other kicking and yelling. Even Nicholas got into the fight and become more serious when he realized what Keith was capable of. At this time, Keith was not afraid of holding back.

As the two of them were fighting, Felix had ran and grabbed Lana. He figured that she would be the best option to separate the two. When they arrived she immediately ran to them to try and pull one off of the other. In her efforts to talk them out of the fight, Nicholas had landed a punch to Lana's face. The blow was enough to knock her back onto the ground. Once he realized what he had done, he had stopped fending off Keith and ran straight to her.

"Look at what you made me do you idiot!"

"I didn't make you do that, you did it all on your own."

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" she shouted adjusting her nose to heal. "What the hell is going on between the two of you? You are brothers for crying out loud now act like it!"

"But he is an asshole!" Keith yelled.

"This coming from a smartass," Nicholas replied.

"Enough!" she shouted again.

"Just think about everything the two of you have been through together. For crying out loud, wasn't Nicholas the one who found you Keith?"

"Yeah," he responded quietly.

"And Nicholas, wasn't it Keith who stopped you from getting spotted by knights after a heist?"

"Maybe," Nicholas replied and looked away.

"Both of you have been working side by side together, it's a shame to throw everything the two of you have worked so hard for. Just think about the circus and the troupe. Your selfish behaviours are really what the problem is. Now knock it off!"

"What is the meaning of this!" came the bellowing voice of Madame Nina.

After a short explanation of what was going on Madame Nina was very upset with the two of them. However, with Nicholas considered as a dear son of hers she treated his punishment lightly. He was in charge of tidying up the stage and making sure the equipment was in peak shape for the next performance. Keith on the other hand was in charge of heading out in the cold weather to obtain rations for the next few days.

Lana decided to tag along with Keith and make sure that everything was alright with him. She didn't care too much over Nicholas' actions believing that he was the one who had initiated the fight. They dressed as warmly as they could and made their way to purchase the food.

As they walked Lana tried to speak with Keith on the matters. Although he was reluctant to say anything at first, he knew that there was no way he would be able to not get away with maintaining silence.

"Keith, I now that you and Nicholas never really get along."

"So what."

"It's becoming a problem. Even more so than usual. Most of the times I just look past it and let everything blow over, but this time I just can't." She stopped in her tracks and grabbed Keith's shoulders. "You need to understand that sometimes things just aren't worth it. You have to think of yourself and those around you. Getting into these petty arguments with Nicholas is just feeding the fire. He lives and breathes off of the aggravation of others. Trust me you aren't the only one, I've seen him do it to some of the other members."

"That ass!"

"That right there is what I'm talking about. Yes he can be arrogant and sometimes an idiot. But understand that he is also trying his best to maintain order. He is structured person who is trying to take on the sole responsibility of the circus. He means well and sometimes just reacting in that sort of way as earlier is exactly what he wants. If you just try and let things go, then maybe he'd leave you alone."

Keith tried to trust Lana's advice but was finding it hard to be able to let some of the things Nicholas has done go. However, what remained the fact was that one day Nicholas may very well become the owner of the Sidonia Circus. If that were to happen, was it worth it for him to stay, he thought to himself. He remembered the good times he shared with the others. In the end, the arrogance of one person was outweighed by the overwhelming compassion from others. The troupe was his family no matter what.

As the two were walking down the street they went to various shops. They picked out exactly what they were looking for and decided it was best for them to head back before it got too dark. As they were walking back to the grounds with full baskets they were cheerfully talking with one another. Keith's mood had completely flipped thanks to the help of Lana.

When the two walked around the corner two men and one woman grabbed a hold of Lana. She stumbled losing her grip on the basket. The two were completely caught off guard by the people and were not fast enough to react. The three people began to tie Lana up with ropes as one of them was prepared for what Keith may do.

"Turn Lana!" he shouted recognizing the people standing before him.

She screamed out for him as he tried to fend off one of the men. Lana was panicking too much to be able to fully focus on transforming. She struggled to get out of the grips and make a run for it as Keith was struggling with the man to rescue her.

Keith fought off the man but failed. The man before him was too strong for him to handle and with the ice on the ground, he was unable to land a direct hit. At this time Keith was unarmed and had left all of his knives at the grounds. The man punched Keith which caused him to crash into some barrels. He had injured his ankle in the process as he watched Lana continuing to struggle.

When Lana saw Keith was injured her fear for both of their safety began to rise. She wanted nothing more than to escape and be able to get out of the situation that they were in. She didn't want to end up like her parents and disappear forever. In her struggle, a gust of wind surrounded her. Keith watched the incredible transformation take form in front of him. He had never seen her transform ever before in the couple of years since he had known her. Her fear had resulted in her instincts fully taking over like they had done so before.

She transformed herself into a large monster like creature standing at a height of seven meters tall. Those in the area began to run at the sight of her. Lana did nothing but grab a hold of Keith and ran. She ran as fast as she could with Keith cradled in her arms just to get away from those people.

When she stopped running she quickly reverted back to her normal self and collapsed on the ground. Keith was still in slight pain from his injury as those near the entrance of the grounds helped both of them to the medical tent. Keith only suffered from a minor sprain as Lana was only tired from exhaustion. She sat in a bed as Keith was being treated. News had gotten around as to what had happened which prompted Lucas to verify that they both were ok.

Lucas came running into the tent frantically wanting to see for himself that they were ok.

"I'm so glad you are both alright," he said with a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, it was thanks to Lana's incredible ability that saved both of us."

"It was the Hunters wasn't it?" Lucas proclaimed.

It had become an agreement between everyone to hide the Crovus Clan's involvement with the circus from Lana. They didn't want her to think that they were harboring her for her powers. They referred to them as Hunters around her just as she had called them as a child.

"Yeah, they caught us off guard this time. All other times we at least saw them before they came after us, but now it seems like they're getting smarter," Keith replied as Caroline finished the bandage around his foot. "Thank you Lana, I owe you one. There is no telling what could have happened to me if you hadn't gotten us out of there."

"Yeah, but they are still here."

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure everything will be fine. Especially when you have us two!" Keith proclaimed gesturing towards Lucas.

Lana nervously smiled as Nicholas rushed into the tent. He nodded to Keith to acknowledge a form of concern that he had. Keith responded with a nod back as a way of saying everything was fine. However, what Nicholas was really there for was to make sure that Lana was really ok. He helped her out of the medical tent and brought her to her own bed. Caroline left Lucas and Keith alone in the tent and made her way to have some dinner.

"These guys are starting to get on my nerves. You were right all along Keith" Lucas stated.

"You're telling me. It seems like there are starting to become more frequent with each town we stay in. It's starting to get harder to pin point them from the general public."

"So what do you think we should do?"

"I have an idea, and you may not like it."

"Go on?"

Keith proposed the idea of repaying his debt with Lana. He knew that the ones that they confronted may not be the only ones present in town. He had finally had enough of everything. He wanted to prove a point to them once and for all. He suggested hunting down the group and killing them. At least the ones who had attacked them. Lucas was shocked by the idea and argued with Keith.

"Keith, I thought you didn't want to murder. I know how you feel even when it is a job."

"I know where you're going with this Lucas and I understand. Yes I don't like the idea of murdering people, but remember I am an assassin first. I always have and I always will be. I will live by the code and when the code is broken I will abide by my duties and do what must be done. Why do you think I was brought into this little special squad of Nina's? It wasn't because I was some charming little boy. It was because of what I am capable of and who I'm connected to."

"But still you are killing someone, don't tell me you actually take joy out of it!"

"To be honest Lucas I do. The idea of taking someone like them off of the street is fulfilling. To continue on using a skill that was taught to me by my parents is rewarding. Like keeping the legacy of them alive. Killing innocent people is where I draw the line, but think of our line of work. These people aren't innocent, and neither are we. Especially when you cross the line and try and hurt one of our own. Now are you with me or not?"

Lucas stared hard at Keith's cold eyes.

"For the sake of our family, I will always be with you. Even if it means killing everyone one of those bastards that try to cross us. Nobody messes with Sidonia!"

That night, Keith and Lucas headed back into the town in search of those who had attacked them earlier. Due to his injury Keith was forced to be carried on Lucas' back. Over the last few months he had grown larger and was unable to sit upon his shoulders like he used to. Keith was normally known as a fast healer, however with what was going on in his mind, it was understandable that he needed the support.

They lurked within the shadows in search for the Crovus Clan members. Keith listened closely to see if he could make out any sounds or voices that may be remotely similar to what he had heard earlier. It didn't take him very long to make out the voice of the female.

They approached a tavern and hid within the alley as the three people were standing near the entrance. They were intoxicated from a failed attempt at Lana and were trying to drown their failure. Keith and Lucas awaited for an opportunity to strike.

"Put me down," Keith quietly whispered in Lucas' ear.

"Are you insane?"

"I'll be fine."

Lucas responded and gently lowered Keith to the ground. Keith crouched down low and made himself more hidden within the shadows. They waited quietly as the group decided to head back to wherever they were staying for the night. As they were walking past the alley the two jumped and each grabbed a target closest to them. They dragged them into the shadows as the third person went in after their attackers.

Keith quickly threw one of his knives at the third person striking their throat. They didn't have a chance to scream or yell before they had met their doom. With blood pouring out, they collapsed down to the ground and tried to gasp for air.

Lucas used one of Keith's knives and stabbed at the chest of the woman. He made sure to close his eyes to not see her as she died. When her body was motionless he pulled the knife out. Meanwhile, the man Keith was with was struggling to try and get away. Keith and firmly planted himself on top of the man and raised his knife up high.

"No one messes with me and the members of Sidonia," he proclaimed as he stabbed the man in the chest.

With his eyes wide, the man soon became lifeless. Keith covered himself up with a cloak as he and Lucas began to make their way out of the alley and away from the dark scene. No news was reported the following morning which indicated that someone from either the Underground community had located the bodies first, or even other clan members themselves had found their dead members. Neither one of the groups would want to be noticed and therefore would want to cover up the scene and keep out of sight of others. As per the usual, Keith and Lucas had gotten away with it without any problems.

Keith arrived at Lana's tent that following morning. She was reading one of her books on a fairy tale as he entered.

"You don't have to worry about those Hunters in this town anymore."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just don't worry about it."

"Keith."

"Don't worry about it," he replied leaving her in the tent.

He didn't want to inform her of what had happened but wanted to reassure her that she was going to be safe again. However, when the troupe moves on to the next town it was going to be the same story. Keith wondered if he would be able to repeat the same stunt that he had done the previous night. If he were to keep up with his actions, then soon there would be none of the clan members left to go after Lana. Lana would be truly safe if he were to be able to accomplish that, at least that's what he wanted to believe.


	7. Haunting Memories

After the events that had taken place against the Crovus Clan, more and more of them began appearing with each town that they had entered. It was almost as if the word had gotten out between the members over what Keith and Lucas had done. The troupe was committed on protecting Lana. All rivalry was put aside for the sake of the safety of themselves and their troupe.

The more that Lana had come into contact with the Crovus Clan the more she was unable to sleep. The tormenting reality of what was going on around her had driven her to sleepless nights. She had developed nightmares that kept her awake at night. Each night she was afraid to fall asleep to the point where Keith made the request to once again become her roommate.

The request was granted and it became official. The idea of the two sharing a tent irritated Nicholas, but he wanted to set all arguments down and not start any fights. This was the one thing that Keith was able to win.

One night during the late winter after Keith's twentieth birthday, the tent was quiet. The sound of wind turning up the snow was the only thing that could be heard. Everyone was sound asleep and keeping themselves warm. It was all fine until the piercing scream shattered the silence. Keith was abruptly woken up by Lana's screams, slamming his head on the bunk of her bed in the process. He frantically searched for his glasses so that he could see what was going on. To his knowledge there was no one else present within the tent which indicated that her scream had derived from yet another nightmare.

The shaken Lana was curling herself in her blanket as he quickly climbed up to her bunk. He gently wrapped the blanket around her as she was staring straight down trying to keep herself together.

"It's ok, it was only a dream," he said in a calming voice as he gently brushed aside the hairs that were hanging down from her face.

She kept rocking back and forth shaking from her nightmare. Keith pulled her in and held onto her as he could hear footsteps from outside of the tent. Clearly her shrilling scream was enough to wake up everyone else on the grounds. Everyone was on high alert believing that something terrible was going on.

"Go back to bed everyone, it just happened again," he called out as he continued to hold on to her.

With a few deep breathes, Lana was able to pull herself back together and focus. She was no longer staring straight at her blankets and began to process what had just happened. Keith let her go and made sure that she was going to be alright.

"Are you going to be ok? Do you need anything?"

"No I'm fine…I'll be fine."

"You sure didn't sound fine. That was quiet the scream. Are you sure you don't need water or anything?"

"No it's ok, really."

"Can you at least tell me what happened?"

She looked away from him and was hesitant to tell him about her dream. Although Keith knew how fragile she was, he decided that for her sake it was best to drop the whole thing. He started crawling out of the bed and back into his own but was stopped by Lana's hand on his arm.

"I dreamt that I was back in the cell. The Noble still had me."

"Noble?"

Keith remembered the story that Lana had told them upon her arrival at the circus. Prior to joining, Lana was held captive by a Noble. She underwent vigorous lessons to become the Noble's perfect bride at such a young age. On top of the lessons she was also treated as a regular slave. Disobeying the Noble's orders resulted in painful punishments. Sometimes his punishments were fairly severe. At that time, Lana's healing capabilities weren't as advanced as they are now. There were times where she believed that she would die.

"I dreamt that I was still with Victor and Samuel."

"You're friends?"

"I dreamt of the horrible things that could have happened to them in my absence. I was forced to watch and was not able to do anything. I felt completely helpless. When I saw their corpses, the Noble turned to me next and I…I just."

"Shhh, that's ok you don't need to say anymore, what you said was enough."

The two of them were able to sleep the rest of the night without any further disturbances. Keith had requested to Madame Nina that Lana was to be pulled from the show. Madame Nina agreed that it would best in her current condition to be able to pull herself away from everything and be able to relax. The more tired Lana would be on stage the more likely that something would happen. Even with her gift, it was still possible for her to become seriously injured.

When she found out what Keith had done, she was infuriated with him. She wanted nothing more than to be on the stage performing claiming that it was helping her relax. Within their arguing, Keith made it clear that she was exhausted. She wasn't holding out her end of the performance. It was decided that the twins would take her place for the time being and perform a dance routine instead. He was able to crack through her stubbornness which resulted in her keeping herself in their tent.

Keith began to notice that she was still going through her training sessions with Jack and Nina. He wondered if over using her powers was causing her mental exhaustion as well as physical. He was concerned for her health and approached Madame Nina once again.

"I know we had already pulled her from the show, but don't you think putting a stop to her training periods would be a good idea too. I mean, over working her may very well be the reason why her nightmares are occurring so frequently."

"Very well. I respect you opinion Keith, but be warned. Continue meddling with our affairs with Lana and punishment will be your results."

"Punishment?"

"Move along."

He didn't understand what Madame Nina meant when she mentioned punishment. He wasn't sure if it was directed towards him or if she was threatening to pursue with a form of punishment towards Lana. Either one didn't make clear sense to him. He was just trying to help out a family member. This began to raise further questions he had of Madame Nina.

He wondered what she was hiding from the rest of the troupe alongside Jack. Looking back on it, he remembered when Lana had first been found. Madame Nina was one of the few who saw her wounds disappear. The day she had turned into her titan she immediately became excited. Something didn't feel right with Keith and he knew that Lana's powers had something to do with it. The feelings grew when he overheard the conversation she had with Caroline after Lana had collapsed during a strange event with the audience members. It was as if Madame Nina was becoming too involved with Lana's powers. He wondered why that was, and what made Lana so important to her that she would make that threat.

A couple days had gone by as Lana was fully taken out of any activities involving the circus. She was able to rest which allowed her to be able to get a goodnight's sleep. The nightmares began to decrease.

Nico and Nisha were very excited to be among the top tier performers. However, when it came for the day that they needed to perform, they realized that there was no costume laid out for them. The previous designer had left alongside many other members of the troupe months ago.

"What are we going to do?" Nico cried out.

"I don't know, I don't know!" Nisha replied.

"We can't go on stage without a costume."

"But we don't have a costume to wear."

"So what are we supposed to wear?"

"Do we borrow something?"

"Why not make something," Keith chimed in.

The two girls looked at Keith with bright eyes. It was enough to creep Keith out as he began to slowly back away from them. They were both excited with the idea that they jumped at Keith and thanked him for his help. Felix was present at the time and couldn't help but to laugh at the sight. It was well known that the girls were very excitable and any chance that they got they did not hesitate to show it. In this instance Keith had finally solved the problem that they were facing.

"Do you think we can make costumes in time?" Nisha asked her sister.

"I think we can."

"But can we though?"

"I mean, it's not like we don't know how to."

"But can we?"

"Oh you're right."

Keith bounced back and forth between them trying to make sense as to what they were trying to say. He was very confused as the twins talked to each other and was unable to piece together what was going on. It wasn't until Felix chimed in that things started to make more sense.

"If you're talking about needing materials, I'm sure we can go get some. I've seen you guys stitch stuff together before, so I'm sure you guys can quickly make something at least."

"Oh, now everything makes sense," Keith proclaimed.

"Actually Lana and I were going to head into town. If you guys want to give us a list of what you need, I'm sure we can pick something up for you."

"Wait you two are heading into town? By yourselves?" Keith asked alerted by the situation. He felt like it wasn't a good idea for the two of them to go out on their own. With Lana being in the condition that she was in, there was no telling what could happen. Felix had no combat training in any form. Keith was very uncomfortable with the idea of the two of them going out with no form of defense. "I'm going to go with you then."

"You won't need to," came Lana's voice from behind. "Nico, Nisha please hurry and give me the list of what you want."

The two girls sprung up and rushed to write down the list of supplies. Keith was bewildered by what was going on.

"You can't just go out into town by yourselves!"

"And why not?" she asked sternly.

"B…b…" he stammered to try and come up with something without hurting her feelings, "because of the Hunters and what not!"

"We'll be fine. Besides I feel more in control of myself, I think we can manage."

"And what if you can't, then what will you do?"

"Keith I've managed to make it out ok for this long. I think we'll be fine," she stated as she began to head out towards the direction the twins ran off in.

Felix felt awkward being in the middle of the situation. He didn't exactly want to stick around to hear Keith go on about how it was a bad idea. Felix quickly chased after Lana and cleared the scene as fast as he could. Keith was left alone with not much else to do. He knew that he couldn't argue with Lana. She was stubborn just as much as he was, but he wanted to have faith in her that she was going to be able to fend off for herself.

Keith leaves and meets with Lucas as he is once again prepping the meal for the evening. Keith didn't have much to say, he only sat in a chair and listened to Lucas as he was walking around the kitchen tent whistling a happy tune. Keith tried to pass the time by cleaning his glasses and knives. Finally the silence was broken by Keith.

"So Lana and Felix went out on their own."

Lucas faked jumped in reaction to Keith speaking, "Geez I didn't even know you were in here you were so quiet."

"Cut it out. Did you even hear what I had to say?"

"Yeah, Lana and Felix went out to town on their own."

"Doesn't that concern you even just a little bit?"

"Why would it?" Lucas asked stirring the pot of his famous stew.

"Well, with Lana's nightmares and everything, she has been kind of on edge lately. I'm just worried for her. She tends to freeze up before her instincts kick in. Plus Felix is with her and the kid is so young he's only ten and…"

"I'm going to stop you right there. Lana can handle herself. You heard what Nicholas said, she has the capability of kicking a full grown man's ass down to the ground. I do agree with you and say that she has been easily spooked, but she's changed. Just think about how long she was on her own before we even met her, she'll be fine. And Felix, well as long as the two of them stick together he'll be fine. Besides he is not that much older than you were when you were out and about on the streets."

"I know that, it's just that I'm still going to worry regardless."

"Easy now, don't let Nicholas hear you say that."

"Whatever, I'm over that anyways, he can have her."

"Really, is that so? I'm proud of you, you really have grown up these last few years."

"Besides I think I've grown attached to her like you. I treat you guys like family and if I was dating her then that would just be weird."

The two continued to talk with each other as people started gathering for lunch. Keith decided to finally get up from the chair and help dish out the specially made stew for the troupe. Everyone was eager to get their hands on Lucas' stew which had become a favorite among many of the troupe members.

Keith and Lucas had finally grabbed themselves a bowl and met up with Jack and Nicholas. Things had finally been cleared up between Nicholas and Keith. The two had stopped their arguing with one another and the fists were put down. Jack still wasn't much of a talker in the group, but was still pleasant to be around.

As they ate their meal, Keith decided to take up the opportunity that was right in front of him. Since Jack was usually with Madame Nina taking care of errands, he was sure that Jack would know something that she was hiding. Even if he was able to give them the smallest clue as to what might be going on. It would keep Keith's curiosity at bay.

"So tell me Jack, what is Madame Nina up to?" Keith asked.

Jack glared at Keith trying to see what he was trying to get at. "Nothing really, why do you ask?"

"Just wondering. I mean she has been out and about, there is no telling what could be going on. So is there anything we should know about?"

"Nothing, she is just trying to promote the show and find new people to bring in."

"Is that so?"

Keith thought to himself that there was more to the story than what Jack was letting on. He knew that Jack wasn't going to tell him anything so it wasn't worth it to try and force it out. Jack wasn't one to crack under pressure and Keith knew that. It was up to Keith to figure out on his own of the hidden secrets that may reside within the circus.

As everyone was enjoying their meals a loud shriek could be heard. Everyone at the table looked at each other alerted by the scream. No one said anything as everyone immediately sprung up from the table and ran to see what was going on.

They made their way to the entrance with a small crowd forming. Above everyone's heads was a cloud of steam as people stood around staring in shock.

"She didn't have a smooth shift," Jack shouted shoving past everyone.

Keith was quick behind him as they started hearing the small whimpering young woman. Kneeling on the ground surrounded by the steam was Lana covered in blood. Most of the blood that was on her was not of her own. In her arms was Felix. A severe cut went across his face as blood was pouring out of his eyes. His breathing was weak but was thankfully present. Nicholas was quick to grab Felix out of Lana's arms and ran towards the medical tent for Caroline to work on him. Meanwhile Jack helped Lana up from the ground. He pulled off his cloak and wrapped it around her.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

She was shaking as the adrenaline had fully worn off, "I…tried to….but I couldn't…It just wasn't working. And then Felix…oh FELIX!"

"It's not your fault. You need to breathe and calm yourself down right now. Like before, just deep breaths."

Keith was interested in Jacks methods. He watched as Jack was trying to pull her out of her panicked state. His calming voice was hypnotic and could captivate anyone. She did nothing but listen to the sound of his voice as she began to slow down her breathing. Keith watched her as she focused on her surroundings the minute that Jack went quite. When she opened her eyes she was calm and focused as normal. The reality of what had happened was still present but she had full control over herself.

As Felix was getting help, everyone watched as people were running in and out of the tent. Caroline was doing all that she could to help Felix. No one was laughing, no one was smiling. Everyone was holding onto their breath as they were waiting for the results of his condition.

Lana sat before the tent with tears streaming down her face. The feeling of regret and guilt was overcoming her as she tried to keep herself together. Keith was with her trying to console her and make sure that she was going to be alright. The two waited patiently in the cold snow. He was worried for the young Felix. The little bright eyed boy who had so much hope inside him was now on the possible brink of death. The thought of Felix dying hurt Keith. He had grown deeply attached to his student and only wanted the best for him.

"What happened?" Keith asked quietly.

Lana looked over at him with her puffy red eyes. She wiped the tears that streamed from her face and sniffled a little.

"They found us. The Hunters and the Noble's men."

"Wait the men from the Noble's mansion?"

She nodded, "They teamed up together and went after us. I started to panic when they came after us. I couldn't think straight and transform, I was so worried about Felix. They cornered us and threw Felix aside. My arm was slashed really badly and they stabbed me in the stomach which prevented me from transforming. They knew that by slashing me I wouldn't transform."

"What do you mean? I didn't even know that was a thing to begin with."

"When training with Jack and Madame Nina, we learned that if I am bleeding a lot or just badly injured I can't transform. If the injury is healed to a certain point I can. Somehow these people knew that. When they attacked me I couldn't transform and Felix jumped right in front of them and…they attacked him. I was so scared. When I looked down at my arm I just wished it was healed so that I could change, and eventually I did and ran."

"You did all that you could," he replied holding onto Lana as she began to cry again.

It wasn't long before Caroline came out of the tent to find the two of them huddled together in the cold. She was shocked to see them as she was removing the bloody gloves from her hand.

"What are you two doing out here, you are going to catch a cold. Go to your tent and get some rest."

"How is he," Keith stood up.

Caroline hung her head down. "I've done all that I could. He will be fine, but the damage was severe. He will never see again. I just pray that this event doesn't change that boy's heart."

"I don't understand."

"Something like this is very traumatic on a person. Keith you of all people should understand that, Lana too. Now please, go to bed and stay warm. Let Felix rest for now. I will update everyone tomorrow."

They responded to the request and made their way back to the tent. Keith crawled underneath his covers and removed his glasses. As he gently placed them on the table he could hear the quiet crying of Lana just above him. He quietly listened to her wishing that he could do more, but in the end there wasn't anything else he could do. The remorse that she felt was something that he couldn't fix.

In the early morning, everyone gathered to hear what Caroline had to say. She waited for everyone outside of the medical tent to give the announcement.

"Felix will be alright, for the most part. He has suffered a lot of damage to his face resulting in his inability to see again. I'm doing all that I can to prevent infections of the wound. I ask that for now, everyone remains away from the tent unless it is for medical reasons. I want him to be able to get as much rest as he possibly can to heal. That is all I have to say."

She gave a nod towards everyone and walked back into the tent. Whispers could be heard as they all went their separate ways. Keith and Lana were the only two who remained at the tent. Keith looked over at her as she was very still. She didn't say a word and only wore a haunting stare.

"Come on Lana, there isn't anything we can do."

He grabbed her arm and began to guide her away from the tent. She didn't budge which prompted him to pull even more. She retaliated and yanked her arm from his grip in anger.

"THERE WAS! THERE WAS SOMETHING I COULD HAVE DONE! I COULD HAVE SHIFTED. I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM!"

"LANA THE MORE AND MORE YOU TALK LIKE THIS THE MORE YOU'RE GOING TO SPIRAL IN THIS NEVER ENDING SELF HATRED. IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. NONE OF THIS WAS YOUR FAULT!"

She stared at him and said nothing. Anger and sadness was all that Keith could see in her eyes. Without saying anything else, she ran past him. Keith knew that what he said hurt her but he felt that it needed to be said.

The days went on as Felix was getting better. Keith barely spoke to Lana after the outburst that the two of them shared. She kept to herself and re-read a lot of her books. When Caroline allowed people to enter the tent, Lana was in there as much as she possibly could. Keith watched her as she would tried her best to help Caroline.

Whenever Lana was away from the tent, Keith did the best that he could to try and make her happier. He organized the tent and cleaned it up the best that they could as their duration within the town was going to be a lot longer than expected. As Keith cleaned, he couldn't help but to flip through the books that Lana had. She had many books to read, most of them being fictional books that Madam Nina had given her. The others were all textbooks relevant to the history of Rhea and her people. Within those text books were scribbles of her notes all along the edges of the paper. There were additional notes that she had in relation to her notebook that she kept.

Seeing the notes within the texts and her own notebook, Keith decided to do something. He picked up his cloak and grabbed his small money pouch of his allowance. He quickly trekked through the snow by himself into the town. He wanted to be able to do something nice for Lana.

He made his way into the town in search of a store that would have the item he was looking for. When he approached the book store he asked the man inside if they had it. Thankfully his searched didn't last very long. Keith was able to purchase the item and make his way back.

He eagerly waited for Lana in the tent with the wrapped up gift. When she walked in, Keith was lying in his bed reading one of her books not making any eye contact with her.

"Hey," she said as she entered, "are you reading one of my books?"

Keith peered from over the edge of the book and lowered his glasses. "So."

"I didn't know that you liked reading."

"Learn something new every day I suppose."

She threw a shawl over her shoulders and climbed into her bed. As she reached the top of her bunk she noticed the gift that was wrapped up.

"Keith what's this?"

"Dunno."

He could hear her unwrapping the gift he had left her and couldn't help but keep a smile on his face. What he had given her was a large journal with a beautiful dark brown leather cover. He felt that it was good idea to have a journal of her own to keep track of her thoughts and dreams outside of her research.

"Thank you Keith."

The feelings he had was warm. He knew that the gift meant a lot to her. He couldn't help but to smile. The two of them were quiet for the rest of the evening as they decided to turn in for the night.


	8. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Months had gone by as the five of them grew closer to each other and yet farther apart at the same time. Keith was very suspicious of Jack's actions. Lucas agreed that there was something unsettling about him. Although Keith had trust in Jack, there was something about him that caused Keith to keep his distance from him. Nicholas and Keith were similar. On the surface he was caring and friendly with Keith, when no one was around it was spite towards each other. Even though they had made amends with one another, things would never really be the same between the two of them. Everyone got along with Lucas, there were no problems with him at all. He was the groups go to person for everything. Almost like a caregiver for everyone. Jack and Nicholas were work friends in a way. They were always around each other when they were tasked to do something. They got along well with each other and never seemed to have any issues. Lana was a different case. She began to shut people out. She engulfed herself into finding out the past of her people. She even went as far as to start asking the citizens of the various towns they went to. Although her obsession was something that pulled her apart from the others, it was also something that brought her closer to some. Her determination had inspired her to develop more skills to help her in the future.

Lana had been along Caroline's side during Felix's recovery learning everything she could about medicines and how to take care of various illnesses and injuries. Lucas had shown her how to properly prepare meals and how to build various things out of wood. She became heavily involved with sets and functions of all the mechanical equipment. All of them worked together and taught her how to hunt as they would travel. Keith trained her how to properly shoot a bow and felt that it was best for her to have a skill set such as this. The two of them would be the ones who would snatch their prey as the others skinned it and prepped it for consumption.

As the time went by, Felix had made a full recovery. In all sadness he had lost all signs of sight. This brought him into a spiral of depression. He tried to hold a smile, but everyone knew how much it hurt him to be unable to see anything. He inspired to be the next knife thrower of the circus but was uncertain that he would be able to do it. With Keith's confidence that Felix was capable of doing it blindfolded, it was enough to keep him training. Although to prevent a lack of injuries on all ends, he decided that it was best that he did not continue his practice of the knife throwing. Instead, Felix took it upon himself to learn how to sing. He picked up a couple of vocal books and asked the musicians to read them to him and help him differentiate between different notes.

With Keith no longer mentoring Felix, he had more time to spend doing other things. Instead, Keith spent his time working on his fitness. He wanted to make it his goal to become stronger and more nimble. Eventually his hard work would pay off a he grew stronger each day.

Sidonia Circus had finally reached the capital. This was the city where they had first met Lana and a few others in the troupe. Keith noticed how reluctant she was upon their arrival. She tried to conceal her face and remained very vigilant. After recent attacks of the clan members and the Noble's men through the years, she had begun to gain more cautious of her surroundings. She had no clue when they were going to strike and how cunning they would be. Keith worried for her but he knew that she was very well capable of handling things on her own. After the experience she had with Felix's injury she had practiced and trained harder than ever. However, with every confrontation with them she continued to freeze before her instincts kicked in. That was something she could never grow out of.

Once everything was set up for their duration of stay, Lana and Keith began unpacking their things. They were both quiet with one another and hadn't said anything to each other throughout the entire day. There was the underlying sense that something was wrong. They both could feel it after being reminded of their histories here within the capital. Although unknowing to most, this was the very city where Keith was born. The same city where he grew up in, and the same city that held onto his dark past.

The plan was for the circus to remain there for a year and take a break from touring for a while. Many who had homes and families returned to them for the time being. Others who called the Sidonia Circus their family remained. To keep the circus fed it was the duty of those who remained to earn money. They would often street perform within the town to support the circus. Others took up part time jobs at shops. A select handful were given the unforgiving task of thievery.

Lana kept to herself in her bunk and begun to open one of her books. Keith decided that for her sake he would search the town and scout the area. He too had become familiar with the patterns of the Crovus Clan and the Noble's men. It had become apparent to them that Lana was fully affiliated with the Sidonia Circus. However due to the number of people involved with the circus, they dared not approach the grounds they camped at. This gave everyone an area of safety and peace. It was only when they were out of the grounds on their own, where they became easy targets.

Keith made his way through the streets, trying his best to conceal himself by wearing a dark hooded cloak. He kept a watchful eye out for anyone who looked remotely like an enemy. So far, he couldn't see any of them in sight, but to him it meant nothing. All was well until his focus was broken. An older man in approached Keith forcing him to stop in his tracks. There was something about this man that seemed all too familiar to him.

"Are you Keith Aberdeen?"

"Who wants to know?

"I am Carl McGill." He went quiet for a moment and looked around to be sure that no one was listening. Keith became more intimidated by this man and prepared himself for the worst. "I am from the Crovus Clan."

It was at that moment that Keith's heart skipped a beat. He reached within his cloak and firmly grabbed a small short sword that he had concealed.

"Show me the mark boy."

"What?" Keith responded in confusion as he still held onto the hilt.

"The mark."

After realizing what the man was referring to he made sure that no eyes were watching them.

"You have to prove to me that you are Crovus," Keith stated holding on to the collar of his shirt.

"Very well," Carl replied. He lifted up the sleeve of his shirt and revealed a small symbol tattooed on his wrist. The symbol looked like a bird with its wings spread out its sides. In the middle of the bird's belly was an image of a crescent moon.

The man nodded towards Keith to do the same. He was concerned at first but respectfully obliged to the request. He gently pulled the cloak and collar of his shirt to reveal the bare skin of his shoulder. What was on it was the very same symbol that was given to him as the rite of passage of the clan. He was very young at the time, but old enough to learn the skill set passed on to him by their ancestors. The Crovus Clan was the clan of mercenaries to which he was a part of. The very same clan that struck fear within those of Sidonia Circus. All of these years he had concealed the mark on his shoulder in various ways. It was only known to Madame Nina and Neal when he was brought into the circus.

Carl McGill was a friend of Neal Sidonia and established the relationship between the Sidonia Circus and the Corvus Clan. Further relationships were established through the scientist that the Crovus Clan was associated with and a member of the Sidonia family. Deals were made between the two group that allowed them to work together to achieve one goal. However, the deals fell through after Neal Sidonia had passed and the Sidonia Circus had become targets of the Corvus Clan.

Keith was well aware of what the Crovus Clan was capable of. He remembered clan members talking about achieving the ultimate power. That was all they had ever wanted. Power to be able to become unstoppable forces just to get what they wanted. However, Keith was never really sure what the Crovus Clan wanted after they had achieved their power. He remembered hearing that they were going to become rulers of the land, or they were going to take down all nobility, or they were just going to abolish all laws and forces. In the end, they just wanted the strength to be able to do all of those things. There were a few who were against the idea. Those who tried to retaliate against their fellow clan members. Those who felt that all of it was wrong.

The man stared at Keith as they both concealed their brands. They were locked into each other's eyes without flinching a muscle.

"What do you want?" Keith asked the man.

"I wanted to present you with this." He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small box.

Keith opened the box to find a small pistol inside. The same emblem of the clan on the handle. As Keith examined the gun he began to feel more connected with it. It was almost as if he had seen it before.

"This gun, why give it to me?"

"Because it was your fathers."

With a great deal of surprise, Keith stared at the man. He stared at his grey eyes as they were gazing right back at his. It was at that moment that Keith remembered who the man was. Carl was the man who his father was closest to in the clan. When his parents were on mission without him, he was with Carl. He remembered that he was with Carl on that very day that he found out his parents were to be executed. The pain swelled up inside of him at the reminder of what he had lost as Carl continued.

"Your father and I were good friends, way back in the day. I remember the day he announced that he was going to be a father just as well as I remember the day that his head rested on that block. I made a promise to him the day of his execution that I would one day present this to you. The world is a scary place, especially for people like you."

"Like me?" Keith questioned closing the box.

"You are aware of your incredible abilities, are you not?"

"No, I am fully aware. Mother and father instructed me well on them. I just made a promise to myself."

"A promise?"

"My parents died that way for what they are, for what I am. It was because of that, which made the others hate us. I remember that day when they were first found out. I was so scared at what the others would do. When their execution happened, I vowed to myself to never use my abilities again."

"I don't understand then."

"Answer me this, if you know very well what I am capable of, why did you not send me on the block with them?"

"Because you my boy are the start of something new. I did all that I could to protect you from the others."

"Then what the hell is going on?"

"They believe that you are dead. That was the agreement that I had made with your parents."

Keith's eyes went wide, "Then why have the clan been trying to kill us at the circus!"

"Neal Sidonia had made a deal with the Crovus Clan long ago. He was the only person with the ability to take care of business outside for us. However, the deal was broken after he refused to give us information. His untimely death and Nina Sidonia's lack of cooperation settled the severed bound we shared."

The answer to Keith's question was only leaving him with more questions. He wanted to find out more about what was going on, but knew that he couldn't stay there much longer. He remembered those who had tried to help him long ago, but his rage for the clan was too immense no matter who the clan member was.

"Thank you Mr. McGill but I must leave. Please in your best conscience do not ever try to contact me again. Let this be a word to any other member of the Crovus Clan. I do not forget what they did to my family and if any of you come near me again I will not hesitate to kill you with the gifts my parents bestowed upon me. They may think of me as dead, but I am alive and well. I am an Aberdeen and don't ever forget that."

Keith pushed passed the assassin and continued his way through the streets. His blood was boiling at the sight of a Crovus Clan member. Let alone a clan member he respected as an uncle.

The Crovus Clan are also known as the Raven's in the Night. They hid within the shadows to proceed with the various jobs that were given to them. They were often hired by rich families to take out the competition. Some clan members were caught and executed. The traditional execution was by guillotine or by the chopping block.

Keith and his parents were unique among their clan members. They originally were not a part of the original clan lineage. His mother and father were taken in by the clan after being on their own for many years doing odd jobs. Thanks to the help of Carl McGill, they were able to become clan members. The clan welcomed them with open arms and taught them the ways. They were branded with the symbol of the clan as they became permanent members and received work.

As the years past, the two became feared. Their abilities were unique and unlike anything that some had seen before, a form of natural talent. The two of them were a force to be reckoned with. It wasn't until one fateful day that their entire world would come crashing down.

On one of their missions, Keith and his parents were going about a standard heist with a few other clan members. It was their job to break into the castle and steal some items that were requested by some doctor. During the mission, their family's deepest secret was revealed. It was at that moment that Keith's parents knew that they were no longer able to stay within the Crovus Clan. However, with the clan being as strong as they were there were no means of escape. They brought Keith to Carl as others who were allies tried to help them devise up a plan to avoid capture from those who threatened them.

In the end Keith's parents were captured by the Knights of the Royal Army. They were sentenced to death for various crimes that they had committed. Keith remembered the day that Carl had received the word of their execution. Keith blamed those who had betrayed his parents. He ran to the main headquarters in search of some answers and to take his revenge. He wanted to know why they would cast his family aside so quickly. What made them change their minds about them? In his rage, the young child had managed to kill the five men who were there and received no answers. Carl had reached the scene to find Keith covered in blood and tears sitting on top of one of the bodies.

On the day of his parent's execution they called out to Keith who was in the crowd all on his own. They were unware of him being there but believed that he was still alive.

"We would fight but it would risk your safety and I can't have that happening," His father called out.

"Always know that we love you!" his mother shouted.

Those words stuck with Keith for the rest of his life. He remembers hearing the blade come down and going through their necks. He never believed it to be possible, but right before him was the death of his parents. Since that day he bore the mark on his skin of the very traitors that he once considered a part of his family. He hated those who had turned their backs to them and resented those who did nothing to stop everything from happening.

As Keith was back at the tent he tucked the box underneath his bed. Lana was still reading her book as Keith had jumped into his bed. It was as if she hadn't even moved since he had left. He didn't think much of it and let the silence consume him. He was left alone with his thoughts as he reflected on the day his parents died and the words that Carl had told him. It was because of his clan that ended up in the death of his parents. His parents had done nothing wrong, or so he assumed. He was so young and didn't know much that was going on around him. It was because of his clan that they were constantly fighting for their lives within the circus. The more he thought about the less answers he was able to come up with.

As he thought more and more about it, he tried to keep the past the past. It wasn't all of the clan members that were against them, and yet he couldn't remember who they were. It was a well-known rule of the clan to keep your mark concealed at all times to protect yourself and the clan, but when a job was at hand you would wear the cloak and take your aim at your target. The clan was always the one to come first regardless of the situation. When those who were against the ideologies of the clan were discovered, they were removed and dealt with.

A few days had gone by as Keith was examining the pistol alone in the tent. He hadn't told anyone about it, nor did he inform anyone about the conversation he had. Keith's past was somewhat of a mystery to others. It was one he didn't really want to talk about. All that the others knew was that Keith was born and trained under two assassins. That was all that he had revealed to the others.

He wondered what Neal was doing for the Corvus Clan. He remembered hearing about Neal a long time ago, but at the time he was just a name. Never before had he heard of an outsider doing work for the clan. He knew of their affiliation with underground sources, but never thought that the extent of their reach was beyond. He wondered if the oversea trips that Neal was doing was in fact tasks given to him by the Crovus Clan. The more he thought about it the more he had realized how oblivious he was.

"The letters. He was always writing letters. They must have had some sort of information on them from Marley. But what information. Could it be that the final letter wasn't given to them? Maybe it's the fact that Lana is involved?"

Lana walked into the room completely surprising Keith. He nearly threw the pistol in sight of her. He quickly covered the pistol with a blanket and nervously looked over at Lana. He tried to play it off like nothing happened.

"Why do you have a gun?" she asked calmly.

"What gun?" he replied trying to play off that he had nothing.

"The gun that was in your hand. Don't lie to me I saw it with my own eyes."

"I didn't have a gun!"

She glared at him before leaping towards the blankets. She reached for the gun before he was able to grab it from her. She pulled it out and held it up in the air examining it.

"See, I knew I saw a gun, now why do you have one?"

"It's my father's now give it back."

She handed it back to him without any further questions. Once returned he placed it in the box and slid it underneath the bed.

"Why are you trying to hide it from everyone?"

"Because it's an assassin's gun."

"That's right, I forget about your family. Sorry, I was only curious."

"Its fine," he shook it off.

"You never really told me much about what it was like." He looked over at her confused. "You know, what it was like to be an assassin."

"I never really was an assassin, but I was still trained as one when I was very young."

"So you learned how to be stealthy and fight and what not."

"I learned how to be quick, quiet, and unseen."

"Loud mouth Keith quiet?"

"Hey I can be quiet!" he shouted.

"Then prove it to me. Prove that you are such a great assassin."

"Like you think you're better?"

The two decided to set up a challenge. With Lana's skills she had to learn on the spot being on the run versus Keith's trained sills. It was a challenge to see who would be the stealthiest. Keith decided to use Madame Nina as the target. It was their job to follow her as she did her errands and tag her. The first one to approach her without being noticed would win. It was also Keith's goal to see if there was anything that he could pick up that would give him any clue as to what was going on.

The two eagerly awaited as Madame Nina made her way out of the grounds. They walked side by side at first as they entered the city. The minute that they set foot within the main road, Keith took off. He ran into an alley way. Lana was confused by his action but knew that he had a specific method of doing things.

He quickly ran behind the alleys and concealed himself within the shadows. He didn't want to be seen by anyone let alone Lana. He knew that if she was watching him, then she would know his approach. He quickly continued through the back alley ways and predicted Madame Nina's movements.

He continued to follow her losing sight of Lana completely. When she was out in the open with no one around, he knew that it was his time to strike. He silently approached her making sure that his steps didn't make any sort of sound. He checked his surroundings and couldn't see Lana. He felt that she may have lost track of the target and gotten lost somewhere. It was at that moment that he knew that he had won.

As he was about to grab Madame Nina's arm he was caught by a surprise. She spun around and swung a small dagger up to his throat. The end of the dagger gently pierced the surface of his skin allowing a small trickle of blood to form. He displayed his hands up by his shoulders as a sign of defencelessness. The look on Madame Nina's face was not of surprise but of anger.

"I knew one of them was following me, but I never thought that it would be you. What are you doing here? Going back to your filthy clan?" she barked at him.

"I was only playing a game."

Lana jumped down from a rooftop and grabbed a hold of Madame Nina's arm.

"I won, I won!" she yelled.

"A game! By all means my child," she said with delight at the sight of Lana.

It was almost as if her personality completely flipped. Her interaction with Keith was the complete opposite with Lana. She hugged her and glared at Keith over Lana's shoulder. This struck him with deep concern for never before had Madame Nina treated him this way. Lucas, Nicholas, and Jack showed up.

"Hey guys, we were going to go get some cookies at the bakery for the younger guys. Do you want to come with?' Lucas asked.

"YEAH!" Lana cried out in excitement.

"Actually, I have some business to take care of with you my dear. Come along, you will have to go another time."

She grabbed Lana's arm and guided her away from the group. She peered over her shoulder making a pathetic pouty face as the others giggles and shrugged. Keith joined them as they had started to walk to the bakers. He glanced back with a hint of worry. The longer things went on the more the feeling of uneasiness grew.

They had gotten their cookies and were enjoying a couple themselves as they had begun to make their way back to the grounds. It was almost dinner time as the young men ate their treats with no concern for their appetites. As they walked towards the grounds Keith noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

After the encounter with Carl, he had become more aware of the citizens within the city. There was no telling how many other clan members were present. He held his cookie in his mouth and pulled Lucas and Nicholas in behind a building. Jack followed and hid with them as all of them were wondering what was going on. Keith peered around the corner and began to see that there were more than just one clan member within the city.

"What was that for?" Nicholas asked.

"Shhh, Crovus Clan."

"What here?" Lucas whispered quietly.

Everyone had become alert.

"We need to find out how many are here," Keith suggested. "There is no telling how many are present. The more there are, the higher the risk for us."

"I agree," Nicholas replied.

Nicholas and Lucas volunteered to follow at a distance in plain sight. Jack took to the ground to conceal himself and followed as close as they could get. Keith was up high on the roofs. He took the approach so that he could help give directions to the others if necessary. He would be able to see if there were any further enemies nearby and give out a warning call.

They group followed a small group of cloaked clan members until they reached a tavern. They walked in, now being of legal age, and watched as they were brought through a doorway. The door appeared to lead to a staircase. What was below was completely unknown as the door was shut and guarded by a tavern.

"Great, what do we do now? There is no way we could get down there?" Lucas proclaimed.

Keith sighed and thought about it for a minute. "Yes we do."

"You have an idea?" Nicholas asked.

"I do, but it may not work. I'm not sure. If it does, then only I can do it."

"Woah, how come you get to do it and not any of us?" Jack asked.

"Because, just leave it alright," Keith replied angrily.

"Just go through with it. I trust you. Don't get hurt," Nicholas stated.

Keith was slightly confused by Nicholas' behaviour but thought that it was nice for a change. "Thank you."

Keith left the table they were at and began to make his way to the guarded door. He pulled the black cloak off of Jack and threw it over his shoulders. With the hood up he concealed his face. As he approached, he was greeted by the larger gentleman who stood before the door.

"I'd like to go through," he sternly said to the guard.

"Oh yeah, get lost pipsqueak."

"You really don't want to be doing that. I have business here."

The guard leaned in close, "Get…Lost."

"Don't make yourself regret not letting me in," Keith replied as he grabbed the collar of his shirt. He pulled down to show the guard the emblem on his shoulder. "Now let me in."

The look on the man's face was of pure horror. It was proven that the Crovus Clan was still a force that pierced the hearts of many civilians. They were an assassin group that were well known to those who were a part of the underworld. Clearly the man was familiar with the regulations that went on within the underworld behind the knights' back.

The man eagerly opened the door to allow Keith in. As he walked down the stair case, he adjusted the cloak to be sure that his face wasn't showing. He wanted to ensure that people wouldn't identify him in any way or form.

Back at the table, the others were in shock at the sight of Keith walking through the doorway. The guard was very timid and refused to turn his back towards Keith. He stepped to the side of the doorway once it was shut and leaned his back up against the wall. He was very timid and it was apparent to the others that he appeared to be afraid of Keith. They had no clue that he was affiliated with the Crovus Clan and therefore did not know of the mark on his shoulder. To see the guard acting this way was quite odd to the others.

Keith walked into a room that was filled with many men and women. There was not much room for movement as crates and barrels also filled the room. Whatever was going on here was not a good sign. Everyone wore masks that concealed their identities in some way or form. Keith kept to himself in the back of the room near the staircase. He ensured that he would only listen and not get himself involved in the meeting that was taking place.

A tall lanky man stood up high on a box and addressed the group of people before him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen the time has finally come. It is time to take up arms and go after what is rightfully ours. Enough deals have been made already, it is our time. The Sidonia Circus has made a permanent camp here for the year. She is finally back within our grasps. With our numbers we can be sure that this time we can have her. No more must we wait and be defeated by the rats. Let us be victorious!" He called out.

The crowd began to cheer as Keith listened.

"You may all remember the deal that Neal Sidonia had made with us all of those years ago. Bring us information on titan serums and we will provide you with jobs to pay for the circus. Well that deal was broken the minute that one them stepped foot in the circus. He refused to surrender her to us and therefore refused to give us any more information. For years we spent going after her. We will claim what is rightfully ours. The Crovus Clan will be victorious, we will be strong, we will be feared, and we will fight!"

He was horrified at the sound of what was going to happen. The leader of the group had devised up a plan to attack the circus late tomorrow night. They would kill all who got in the way and take Lana. The connections were all made clear. Neal Sidonia was travelling to Marley to obtain information on a titan serum. He was unsure of what this serum was, but had heard of a rumor of super soldiers roaming the lands of their country giving them a strong military. He believed that this may have a connection to the Sidonia Circus and the Crovus Clan. With the information of this serum, there was no telling what types of strengths that the Crovus Clan would have. They would be unbeatable, more so than what they already were. It was anarchy that had filled the room. Keith feared that they were after Lana as a source of her powers.

He knew that the Crovus Clan hungered for more and more power. If the Crovus Clan were to overthrow the king, then pure chaos would spring forth. This concept angered Keith as the meeting had ended. As the crowd had begun to make their way towards the stairs, he darted up them and quickly made his way to the table.

He told them everything that he had heard. The news came to them as quite the shock. Nicholas immediately suggested to tell Madame Nina everything. Although Keith was reluctant to do so, believing that she had something to do with all of this. Lucas agreed with Nicholas and Jack didn't have much to say as per usual. He wanted to have everything cleared up.

They all made their way back to the grounds and begun to search for Madame Nina. Once they found her in her tent Keith began to question what was going on.

"Nina, what is a titan serum?" Keith asked.

Shock came over her face.

"Heaven's I don't know what you are talking about."

"Cut the crap, we know about the information that Neal was giving the Crovus Clan."

Irritation came over her face, "Very well. The titan serum was believed to be a concept to give a person extraordinary powers. There was word in the Underworld that a certain empire had nearly perfected the serum. Our kingdom wanted that information, however we were not prepared to go out into a full on war with an unknown force. A deal was made with the Crovus Clan to set out and get this information due to their history. However, they felt that it was too dangerous even for them. That was when Neal came to them and agreed to take on the risky information. When Lana arrived into our family, we become devoted to protect her. Neal turned his attention more towards her than to his own mission. As a result, the Crovus Clan wanted to take her away."

"But that doesn't explain why they were after her before she came to the circus," Nicholas proclaimed.

"Simple enough, the Corvus Clan heard of her powers. They wanted to take her powers for themselves. When she came into the circus she fell under our protection that they did not want to cross."

As pieces of the story were starting to make sense, Keith began to feel more relieved of her intentions. Madame Nina was only trying to protect Lana from being caught by the Crovus Clan. She very well knew that they were going to use Lana.

Hey began to inform her of the plan that was set in place. She looked angry once she had heard the plan. She stood up from her stool and broke the makeup tool that was in her hand.

"This simply won't do. Boys we need to put a stop to this."

"But how, we don't exactly have the fire power to stop them. I mean there is us four but we can only do so much," Nicholas replied.

Keith thought on it as he panicked trying to come up with something to say.

"What if someone gets to her before them," Nina suggested.

"But who?" Lucas asked. "The only other people who are after her are the Noble's men and they practically have teamed up with the clan."

"Yes, but think about this. We are in the Capital. What else is crawling around the Capital?"

"Soldiers," Keith said quietly.

"Precisely. What if we manage to get her arrested. The news of her arrest will reach them and the attack won't happen because she won't be with us. She will be in jail until we pay her fine."

"Ok but what could she do that would get her arrested, let alone caught?" Nicholas asked.

Madame Nina told them of a plan that she had. She decided to use Lana's desire and determination against her in the form of trickery. She knew of the archives that were within the castle that contained many books. If she told Lana of a book that may have a key to what may have happened to her parents, then it may cause her to want to get her hands on it. If she does go for the book then Madame Nina would alert the knights and she would be arrested.

The plan was settled and it was decided that Madame Nina would take the lead. She approached her in the tent and told her of the book and the archives. She left her and joined the others as they eagerly awaited for Lana to take off. They all believed that she would do it just because of her personal drive and goals.

It wasn't long after dark before Keith heard the creaking of Lana's bed. She was slowly getting out trying hard to not wake up Keith. Little to her knowledge he was wide awake the entire time waiting for her to leave. When she left the tent and headed out towards the entrance, Keith immediately knew what he had to do. He gave it some time for her to get some distance and enter the archives.

He waited for a good while before leaving the tent. As he made his way through the town he peered up into the starry sky. It was a clear night in the quiet streets of the Capital. The silence was broken by the shuffling of the uniforms of the knights. It was finally time for his part in the plan.

He quickly approached one of the knights.

"Excuse me sir, I'd like to report a traitor."

"A traitor you say?"

"Yes, one of our own has been behaving rather strangely. I think she might want to start a rebellion. Rumor has it she may be a renegade after some information of the kingdom's history that may take the King down."

"Are you serious?"

"Very much so. In fact I remember overhearing her talking to someone. She said she was going to break in to the archives tonight to see if she could find anything that may enable her to over throw the current king?"

The two knights looked at each other and hastily made their way back to the castle.

"Sorry Lana, this is for everyone's safety as well as yours," Keith whispered under his breath.

He made his way back to the grounds and settled himself back into the bed. He had no sense of regret at all and knew that things would be fine. He followed through with the plan that Madame Nina had given him. She felt that calling her a traitor of the king was a sure fire thing to get them to go after her. Breaking into the archives was nothing really urgent to them as the archives contained nothing but old books. However, defiling the king was a different matter entirely.

The following morning, Keith was woken up to angry yelling. He quickly got out of bed and ran out of the tent. He tripped partway out of the tent smashing his face into the dirt below. Realizing he didn't grab his glasses he stumbled back inside and put them back on. He quickly responded back towards the yelling that was close by.

A crowd had formed, with Madame Nina on top of a crate trying to calm everyone down. She was struggling to speak over top of the yelling. Lucas was near the back not participating as part of the crowd.

"What's going on?"

"It's about time you got your ass out of bed!" Lucas shouted. "While you were casually sleeping, we all found out that Lana is going to be executed! What on earth did you do?"

"I only did what I was told" Keith shouted back. It then clued in what Lucas had just said. "Wait, Lana's going to be executed?"

"They claim that she was a traitor of the king who broke into the archives. Two acts are high crimes therefore resulting in a sentence of an execution."

"I didn't mean too, I didn't think that this was going to happen."

"QUIET!" came the loud voice of Nicholas.

"Thank you. Everyone calm down. Yes I am fully aware of what is going on with Lana right now. To answer your questions, no she is not a traitor, yes she is sentenced to death, and yes she broke into the archives. We were only trying to trick her into getting arrested for the sake of the circus. We were going to get attacked tonight if we didn't do something about it. Believe me when I tell you, things are going to be ok. A few of us have been asked to go to the court house to testify to confirm her sentence. Lana is a capable woman, she'll get herself out of this situation. Right now I want everyone to pack up their things. We are going to get ready to move to a different site. I have complete faith in our girl that she will get herself out of that jail. When that happens we have to share the burden of protecting her from those in the underworld and those of the law. Even if it means sacrificing our circus." Madame Nina declared.

The crowd was filled with whispers as everyone came to an agreement. They ran to start packing up their things and get ready for their move to the town over.

Meanwhile, Keith, Jack, Nicholas, Lucas, Madame Nina, and Caroline were all brought to the trial. They all agreed to declare her as a traitor hoping that she would break herself out of the prison cell. It was their plan to pick her up the following morning on the day of her execution and rescue her from any of the knights that would be looking for her.

As they entered the main hall of the trial, the whispers of the citizens could be heard. They were wearing their clothing that they wore as performers of the circus. Keith felt very uncomfortable in the situation that they were in. He was the least calm out of everyone in the group. Madame Nina wore a stern look to her face equal to that of Jack's. Nicholas showed minimal signs of nervousness as Lucas was the most calm out of all of them.

Once they had approached the stand the trial was set to begin. The doors flew wide open as knights dragged Lana into the room. Her arms were bound behind her back as a gag was placed over her mouth preventing her from pleading her case. Chains were around her ankles which would be chained to a stand before the judge. Once locked into place, the room fell silent as the judge came forward.

Keith gazed into Lana's eyes as she was bewildered as to what was going on. He couldn't bear to watch her during the ordeal. The fear that was placed within her eyes caused him to look away every time that they made eye contact.

The trial went on as a knight declared the accusations against Lana. Once read, the judge looked towards those in questions for a referral.

"Is what was being said true?"

"Your honor, I can tell you that everything declared before us is the truth," Madame Nina said.

"Yes your honor, I can be certain of that," came the warm voice of Caroline.

"What do you have to say about this boy?" the judge gestured to Nicholas.

"Although she is a dear friend of mine, I can tell you that she is a traitor to our beloved kingdom."

"I agree with my brother in arms here. She is nothing but trouble," Jack proclaimed.

"What do you have to say about your brethren before us?" the judge looked at Lucas.

"It pains me to admit it but I have always seen something within her. I do believe that she is a traitor to the king."

As the testimonies were being said Lana was hurt and angered. She was scared and in pain. She was frantically trying to use her words to defend herself, in her head asking why all of this was happening. She looked over at Keith, the last resort, for some sort of sign of reassurance. Tears were streaming down her face as she was looking at her last hope.

"What about you there, what do you have to say?"

Keith looked at Lana and felt a piercing pain in his heart. He wanted to tell the truth badly, but knew of the consequences that followed.

"Lana Sidonia…is…" he began to panic a little. He could feel the little bit of sweat forming on top of his head. His eyes darting around the room looking for something to calm himself down, but in the end he was brought back to Lana. "She is a traitor," he stated veering his eyes away from her.

As he looked away he closed his eyes and listened to the muffled screams. He bawled his hands into fists and clenched his teeth trying to not let the screaming bother him as much as it was.

"With that being said, I declare this girl to be executed in the morning. No further questions."

With that being said the knights unlocked Lana from the stand and began dragging her back to her jail cell. Keith looked back to see her struggling and screaming. The gag had fallen out of her mouth allowing her to call back.

"YOU MONSTERS! I AM INNOCENT! I AM NOT A TRAITOR! I HATE YOU ALL!" she screamed at them.

Keith was heartbroken. They walked back with solemn expressions from what they had gone through. Nobody dared to ask them anything in regards to the trial. Keith went over to the wagon that had his and Lana's stuff in it. He pulled out a bag of her things. In it was her rapier, the journal he had given her, and a few other items. He placed it up against a rock hoping that Lana would be able to hold off on her own with the items that were in it. He draped a cloak over top of it so that she would have something to help keep her warm.

Once everyone was packed up and ready to go, the entire troupe set off to a safer area. Here is where they would set up a camp, while a select few people went back to retrieve Lana. The night was gruesome as the hanging cloud was over everyone's heads. The sickening feeling of regret was heavy on all of them as they sat around the roaring fire. No one said anything to each other as they awaited for dawn to come.

It wasn't an easy sleep if one were lucky to get any sleep at all. Most people were wide awake hoping for Lana's safety. Keith was one of those people. He kept thinking about all of the possibilities. They were racing around his head causing him to be wide awake in his anxiety.

When the first signs of sunlight had appeared, Keith was one of the first to be up and ready to go. Nicholas, Jack, and Lucas were also up and ready. It was their job to set out back into the city in search for Lana. Everyone was nervous and anxious to find their friend. Each one of them wore a hood to conceal themselves from the guards.

Their first stop was to where their grounds were originally set up. When they arrived, the sun had fully risen. Keith searched around the area with the others. He ran to the area where their tent was set up and the bag was placed. He found that the bag had gone missing. He was relieved knowing that she had gotten out, but began to think the worst. He started to think of the idea of someone stealing the bag. He thought this way until Lucas found tracks. The tracks were small enough and resembled that of Lana's boots. This put a sense of relief on everyone. They followed them back into the town.

Once into the town, they had lost sight of all tracks. The four of them split up in search of her. Word had gotten out quickly of her escape. The city was crawling with knights asking citizens of her location. Jack had received word from a fisherman that one of the boats along the dock had gone missing. This was reported to the knights and was going to be brought under further investigation.

Everyone regrouped to state what each other had found.

"There was the report of the missing boat from the dock," Jack stated.

"You don't think she took it and left do you?" Lucas asked.

"She has done some ridiculous things in the past, there is no telling what she would do," Nicholas replied.

Keith started to lose all hope. "There is no way we could go after her. We don't even know if she would have made it out there anyways. She doesn't know how to sail."

"We have to go after her no matter what," Nicholas replied.

"What's the point Nick? You saw how she reacted in there. There is no way she will be willing to come back to us now!"

"So you are telling me to give up on her?"

Keith thought hard on the matter, "Yes I am. You all saw the way that she looked at us in there."

"Keith is right. There is no way that girl is going to come home after what we did to her," Lucas replied.

"DO YOU GUYS HEAR YOURSELVES? THIS IS LANA WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE! Jack help me out on this."

"I agree with them. If I were in her shoes I'd be doing the same."

Nicholas stormed away from them as the rest of them quickly followed after him.

Months had gone by as everyone was trying ease themselves. Nicholas had taken it upon himself and travelled alone to Marley as a few others traveled elsewhere. There he had received no information of Lana's whereabouts. Upon his return everyone had come to the conclusion that after what she had gone through and what they had involved themselves in, then there was a clear sign that she would never return. However, in Nicholas' case it was a different story. He hadn't lost hope that she would come back. Keith was hurt at the thought of himself losing someone who was like a sister. On the other hand, he had learned that there was a different connection between Nicholas and Lana than he had originally thought. The two were closer to each other than they had previously shown with the others.

Nicholas' pain drove him to pull everyone together. Through his efforts he had managed to convince everyone to set out after her to a land called Paradis as their last resort. He was convinced that she must have landed in the unknown island. Keith and the others thought that he was crazy, but there was a small part of him that wanted to believe it.

Madame Nina had agreed to Nicholas' request. Those who were willing to join them on their journey were welcomed to do so. Those who stayed behind were removed from the Sidonia Circus and had begun to set off on their own journey. Keith and the others were very reluctant to join. They felt that Nicholas' drive was what was causing him to lose sight on everything else. Everyone was trying to move on but Nicholas wasn't. Keith and the others didn't have anywhere to go themselves and therefore agreed to join Madame Nina on the journey. There were a few others who were wanting to join such as the twins and Felix. Caroline remained by Madame Nina's side claiming that they needed someone with medical knowledge to help them go through the uncharted island.

With the remainder of the funds that they had, they split off from the rest of the group and set forth to the docks. They purchased a vessel large enough for all of them and had prepared to head out on their journey to Paradis.

Prior to their departure, Keith had gone through the remainder of Lana's things. Among them was a book with a few maps in it. They were maps with labeling of surrounding lands that people had ventured long ago. One continent was closer to them than others. This was Paradis. Keith continued to read through these books and the notes that Lana had left behind. He was able to learn many new things that he himself had no clue existed.

The journey was a long and bumpy one. They managed to travel through powerful storms. A couple of lives were lost along the way, but in the end they reached the island. This place was unknown to them. It didn't take them too long to reach the island but it was a journey that they would never forget.


	9. A World No One Imagined

The ship tossed and turned. The lack of experience was proven by the difficulties they faced trying to stay afloat. However, in the end they made it to their destination which was an unexplored land. With the use of the maps that Keith had found they had finally reached the shore.

They saw the shore and followed the map that would reach them to an abandon ship yard. There were no ships present and the dock itself was barely intact which suggested that human activity was present. However, they were still grateful for their feet to be planted on the dry land. The queasy ocean was unbearable for some who were regretting taking part in the journey. Ways away from the ship yard was a destroyed boat. This gave them some hope that Lana was somewhere nearby.

The map indicated that they had arrived on the western side of the continent. The dock itself suggested that a town would be nearby. It was a unanimous decision to set forth and see where they were. As the made their way down the path there was something strange about this place. There were no buildings, only rubble. The lack of buildings also indicated the lack of people. They followed up the road a little further and came to an opening that had nothing but a bunch of piles of rubble.

"I don't think anyone is around here," Keith stated looking around.

"Yeah think, you numb nuts," Nicholas replied smacking Keith on the back of the head. "Come on let's keep moving."

Keith started to come up with some ideas as he kept flipping through the book. If they had reached a dock then there should be people. If there were no people around then something must have happened to them.

"That other boat back there, are we sure it was her," Keith began. Everyone stopped to look at him to hear what else he had to say.

"We can't say that for sure," Nicholas replied.

"Ok then what makes you so sure that she would be here?"

"I just know she is."

"Come on Nick you can't be serious. You and I both know that she is not here. Let's just face it. She is gone!"

Nicholas went to swing at Keith out of anger but was stopped by Lucas. He held onto Nicholas' arm and sternly glared at him.

"I don't want to see you two fighting alright? Let's go gather some food and make camp for tonight. In the morning we can decide where we go from there."

Nicholas walked off with Jack in search for some food as Keith and Lucas went in the opposite direction. The others stayed behind and set up a camp for their short duration with what supplies they had. It was colder where they were. Snow was lightly on the ground revealing any tracks of any creature that may had passed through.

The group was able to gather a few berries and nuts that were still good. Keith and Lucas were able to capture a couple of rabbits for them to cook up. They needed all the protein that they could get their hands on for the journey that was laid out before them. Times were proven to be difficult and their current situation had left them with very little to eat.

Everyone remained quiet throughout the night. No one had much to say about where they were or why they were there. Keith especially kept himself away from Nicholas and Jack. He curled up in his blanket and awaited for the next day.

When everyone was up and rearing to go it was decided that they would explore the area and at least found a village or town. That way they would be able to pick up any supplies and gather any information that they could. Afterwards it would determine their next step and how they should proceed with their search.

They followed down the rough unkempt path deeper into the strange new land. All had seemed well. They continued their travels for a few days taking their time and finding it very strange how they had yet to come across any signs of human life. It began to creep some of the younger members of their group. They began to fantasize what could have happened to the people. A few run down places were on their path indicating that people were there at some point. The path itself was manmade which suggested that the path was frequented. The eeriness of the abandon places and lack of people was enough to send shivers up anyone's spine. It was something out of a novel and was hard for anyone to believe.

"I really think we should turn back. It has been almost five days and there has been signs of nothing. Not even a single traveller or town, something is not right about this place," Keith cried out in his moment of uncertainty.

However, no matter what he said, there was no convincing the stubbornness that was Nicholas. He was very determined to find Lana, if not then some sort of clue of her whereabouts. Keith agreed that he wanted her back with them more than anything, but like the rest of the group they had finally come to terms that she would no longer be with them. It was even unknown on if she was even alive or not.

They continued down the path and decided to rest for a bit. Keith pulled out a book he had taken with them. It was about one of the greatest mysteries that had come to Rhea aside from the disappearance of the titans.

In recent stories, there had been word of mindless creatures that had appeared in Marley. They resembled humans but had no sign of intelligence. Some of them were distorted and had some form of disfigurement to their bodies. The very same creatures were reported a few times before back in their homeland. It was something completely unnatural and spooky. They had come out of nowhere with no signs of their origins and disappeared just as quickly as they had arrived. The stories told of a few people who had quickly killed off these creatures. They remained anonymous to everyone and disappeared without a trace. However, there were a few things that they were able to say. They referred to the creatures as Unwanted Titans, titans that had succumbed to their powers and lost all of their humanity. The only way to destroy these creatures was to sever the back of their neck which would cause them to disappear.

"What are you reading?" Lucas asked as he noticed how intrigued Keith was in the book of mysteries.

"Just something of Lana's that she left behind. It really is interesting. Have you parents ever told you of the Unwanted Beings?"

"Of course, almost everyone has heard of the legend of Rhea."

"Huh?"

"They said that when King LeBlanc took over the kingdom he had the power of titans on his side. However, there were a few of those titans that weren't normal. They called them Unwanted Titans. They were either killed or sent away."

"Creepy. This book also talks about the Howlers, a group of large wolf like creatures."

"I've seen one!" Lucas proclaimed.

"No you have it."

"Yes I have. I was just a wee lad and a Howler came right up to me. It ran off because I scared it away with my loud yell."

"I somehow doubt that, that actually happened."

Keith continued to flip through the pages reading mystery after mystery and legend after legend. Within the book itself, it talked about the mysterious powers of the titans. They were beings who had once claimed the land of Rhea itself until travellers from another land had appeared. The two beings started living together in peace and harmony with barely any problems. It eventually had become evident that the travellers were fearful of the titans and their powers. Those of the royal line possessed the capability of mind manipulation to some level. Only direct descendants were capable of obtaining this ability. The ability itself started diminishing and has become ineffective to certain bloodlines who were around the royal family the most. This was believed to be the start of the overthrow of titans themselves.

Within the book, it talked about the different powers a titan has. From various forms of hardening and armor, to keen senses and increased muscle strength. Aside from their growth, they were capable of doing extraordinary things as a titan that amazed and scared the travellers. Keith felt a bit of a connection to Lana as he read. He was sure that she was out there somewhere. He just wished that she was well.

As the day went on they continued down the path. It was all quite as everyone was enjoying the moment the best that they could. All was well until something strange was nearby. Keith stopped dead in his tracks as he felt something was wrong. When the others took notice they too stopped to look at the concerned Keith. He stared hard at the ground tying to picture it, and then that was when it was coming together. He was hearing footsteps. They weren't just any footsteps, they were large ones and they were getting louder. The footsteps had become loud enough for the others to take notice. Everyone was frantically looking around to see what the cause was.

The creature had come into their view out of the trees. Keith stood before it with a horrified look on his face. Walking towards them was a five foot tall human like creature. Although it did mostly resemble a human, the body was distorted. Its arms were almost too long for its body as they were almost being dragged. It waddled over to them as it took notice to the large amount of people on the path. The pace grew faster as the group remained frozen in fear.

"WHAT IS THAT!?" Lucas yelled.

"Whatever it is it's coming for us. We need to get out of here and fast!" Nicholas replied turning around and pulling people to make a run for it.

Keith was almost mesmerized by the creature. He watched it stumble towards them as he had no fear.

"Unwanted," he whispered under his breath.

"KEITH COME ON!" Lucas yelled in the distance.

Keith snapped out of it and ran at full speed to catch up with the others. Once he had reached them he turned back to see how far away from it they were. The distance between themselves and the creature was getting smaller. It has become apparent that there was going to be no way from them to be able to out run it.

"This thing! What is?" Nicholas shouted as he turned back to see it getting closer.

"I think I know. I just read something like this in one of Lana's books," Keith replied trying to control his breath.

"Come on out with it!"

"This thing is called an Unwanted. It's kind of like what Lana is, only worse. This thing has no intelligence and is only after humans."

"OH GREAT!" Lucas shouted.

"Keith is correct. That creation is an Unwanted Titan, a creature forced to live here due to unfortunate circumstances," Caroline shouted.

"Ok then how do we get rid of this thing?" Nicholas asked as he watched Madame Nina starting to fall behind the rest of the group.

"We kill it by taking out the nape of its neck I'm pretty sure. Sever the connection from the brain and the body shouldn't regenerate like Lana's," Keith called out.

"The spinal column is the key source, take it out at the nape and you take it out entirely," Caroline confirmed.

"You're pretty sure! OH GREAT WE ARE SO SCREWED!" Lucas shouted picking up Madame Nina.

Nicholas began looking around at the area. "Quick over there. Let's take cover and hide within the trees if we can."

The group immediately responded as they made their way to a little forested area. The Unwanted was close on their heels. Panic was greatly affecting them as the impending doom was fast approaching. Luckily they were able to make it to the trees before the Unwanted was able to get to them.

"Lucas I need you to throw me up to this branch," Nicholas demanded pointing above him.

"You can't be serious!"

"JUST DO IT!"

Without further questioning, Nicholas placed his foot in Lucas' hand. Quickly he threw Nicholas up into the air as he was able to grab a hold of the branch. Everyone continued to run into the forest as Nicholas had demanded. Keith stayed behind to make sure that no one was left out. Little to his knowledge the Unwanted had its eyes set on him. He turned around to face the gruesome creature as it bent down to pick him up. Nicholas was concealing himself behind the tree trunk waiting for a good moment. Keith saw the glimmer of the double edged sword in his hand and followed through. He stammered away from the creature as it got closer. He pulled out his own sword and charged underneath it. Keith managed to get behind the Unwanted and use his sword against it. With a large thrust, he was able to lodge the sword into the back of the Unwanted's heel. It knelt down as Keith went for the other one. Just as he expected, by injuring the legs, it would leave an open spot for Nicholas to strike. Once the Unwanted had collapsed to the ground, Nicholas leapt through the air. With his sword held high, he aimed for a strike at the neck. He planted the sword within the creature and ripped it across severing any connections within it. A vast amount of steam appeared from the Unwanted as it was motionless.

Nicholas jumped down and walked over to Keith.

"Are you hurt?" he asked him.

"No I'm fine you?" Keith replied.

"Fine. We should head back to the others."

"Right."

The two took off away from the being. Keith couldn't help but to look back at the large amount of steam that was coming from the Unwanted's body as it began to disintegrate. Never before had he believed that he would see something like this, let alone believe that this would exist. He was sure that there would be more out there in this land. At least they knew how to kill it. The problem would be achieving the kill.

As they caught up with the others, most were shaken up. Nicholas proclaimed that the creature was dead and that they were safe. However, they were unsure of where the creature came from or how many others were out there. They were to remain vigilant from now on.

They continued to travel down the path without contacting another one of the unwanted creatures throughout the rest of the day. When they decided to rest and make a camp for the night, most were reluctant to fall asleep. Keith was wide awake staring at the stars above wondering what else could be out there. He was amazed at the concept that these creatures even existed to begin with. He wondered what could have happened if they were unable to kill it. He remembered that he wasn't the only one who knew what to do. He sprung up from his blanket and saw that Caroline was still wide awake.

"Caroline…how did you know?"

"It's surprising that someone of the Crovus Clan is unaware of things that go on around them especially after all of these years," she said with a slight smile.

Shocked by her comment, he looked at her.

"I knew the entire time?" he stammered clutching onto his shoulder that bore the mark. "Who are you?" he began to question her.

"I am Caroline Rogers, a descendant of Doctor Cornelius Rogers and Madeline Sidonia. My family was part of the research team that were developing super soldiers for the Royal Army. My father was loyal to the King until one day he did something that caused him to get kicked out. Next thing, he is dealing with the Crovus Clan continuing his research to create the perfect soldier. When he died, it was my duty to take up his research and complete it. The creature that we saw today was a result of a semi successful serum that was created long ago. Although the serum itself was stolen, it was the job of my family to recreate what was lost. We were never successful and could hardly come close to what we had achieved long ago. It's amazing to be able to see the results myself, even if it was only a theory. It was always a false hope among the family. But to actually see what could have been accomplished."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that these creatures are humans affected by a serum that someone out there had managed to create, based off of finding from my ancestors." She turned to him as she watched his horror stricken face, "But nobody will believe you," she stated with a smile. "Besides, what's the point in continuing my research when it is clear that someone is well beyond what I know? Blasted father couldn't get anything done right. And who are the Corvus Clan to tell me what to do. They are the ones who want the serum and who will provide it to them, me. Like I was going to give it to them anyways. But even if I wanted to I can't anymore, so what's the point. What is the point in anything?"

She walked away and crawled underneath her blanket. Keith couldn't comprehend what he had just heard. The woman among them was a member of the scientific family that dominated and influenced many things within the kingdom. She was a medical scientist who had knowledge of the titan serum that the Crovus Clan had wanted. He wasn't even sure if what he had heard was even the truth or not. Regardless, his perspective of her had completely changed.

The following days had warmed up allowing the snow to melt. They had not come into contact with another one of the creatures for some time as they ventured around various different paths. It was a good sign to them that there was no signs of trouble. When they finally did come across another Unwanted, they were in a bit of trouble. There was no way that they were capable of reaching the creature's neck without taking it down first. With the help of Jack and Lucas, they were capable of coming up with a strategy.

They used Keith's method of taking out the legs first. Once down they were able to keep the creature from seeing by stabbing out its eyes. However, they were not fast enough to kill it. When Nicholas went to land the final blow, he messed up. The sword did not go down deep enough to kill it. Keith watched as the wounds on the back of the legs began to regenerate. Nicholas believed that the steam emitting from the unwanted was due to the fact that it was killed. He got off the creature without any realization and began to walk towards its head to meet with the others. Keith stood from behind and watched the creature move. He immediately climbed up onto its back and ran towards the neck. Just as he had reached the neck the creature was ready to lurch forward at Nicholas. He stood nonchalantly wondering what Keith was doing. The Unwanted started to move just as Keith swung his sword. His cut was deep enough to do the job. He peered over the steam that had started forming and glared at Nicholas for his incompetence. Nicholas stood before him dumbfounded at what had happened as he believed that he had conducted a rookie mistake.

"You need to be more precise with your cuts," Keith angrily said.

Nicholas was unsure as to how to respond. He was grateful that Keith had saved his life if not saved the lives of the others as well. He was also grateful of Keith's vigilance and observations at his lack of accuracy.

"If you want to get the job done, you do it right. You do it right the first time especially when it comes to something like this."

Nicholas was caught off guard by the behaviour Keith was putting out. Since their time within the new land, Keith had grown up. He was a lot more mature and was very mindful as to what was going on around him. However, when things had quietened down he was still carefree and cheerful when he can be.

Another day had gone by with no troubles. The group had grown exhausted from the lack of food and the travelling they had done. They were sluggish in their movements, but remained careful as to what else was out there with them. Due to their large group and older members they were unable to move at a faster rate.

As they were resting, Caroline noticed something in the distance. A large Unwanted was making its way to the group. They all prepared themselves for what was going to happen to them. As they ran, the Unwanted began running after them. It was fast and was able to catch up to them quickly. Everyone ran as fast as they could but it was no use. Caroline fell victim to the clutches of the titan. It lifted her high up into the air and into its gapping mouth. As they kept running, Keith turned to watch as the teeth came clamping down on her. He could almost make out a smile on her face as they continued. As if to her it was her final moment of bliss. In the end, there was no way for Keith to know what Caroline was trying to plan, especially alongside Madame Nina.

They headed for cover and found that the titan was no longer after them. The sacrifice of Caroline was enough for them to get away. In Keith's mind, she purposely sacrificed herself in order to evade any further confrontation in regards to the serum. It was almost as if she was taking the easy way out of things.

Keith was at the front of the group as he had begun to notice something large in the distance. It was dark and he couldn't quite make out what it was. He pointed it out to the others which enabled everyone to quicken their pace. They were all eager to see what it was in front of them. As they got closer they had come to realize that it was a manmade structure, a large stone wall.

They were all eager to get closer to the wall to investigate it. Once they had finally approached it, the large vastness that it was, was almost overwhelming. It was a breath taking sight to behold and almost unbelievable.

"Listen, do you hear that," Madame Nina said shushing the group.

They all fell silent and listened closely. The sound of people could be heard on the other side of the wall. Everyone became overwhelmed with excitement at the thought that they had finally reached people at last.

"Wait, we shouldn't be celebrating just yet," Keith stated, "Just think about it. If these people are living within these walls, there must be a reason for it. After all we didn't see any other people outside of the walls."

"They must be hiding from those large creatures," Jack proclaimed. "Which means that they are a defensive type of people. That may also mean that they may not welcome outsiders very well."

"So what you guys are saying is that it probably isn't a good idea to just barge right in?" Lucas asked.

"Exactly. Besides, I don't see any opening so I don't see how we could just waltz right in anyways. There is a gate, but I don't think they would be eager to let us in." Jack said gazing at the wall.

"Ok, so no entry point, possible hostile people. Great let's figure out how to do this," Nicholas shouted.

They began to devise a plan to enter the wall. Seeing how they were unable to get in through a gate or other entry point, they needed to climb up and over the wall. They also needed to do that unnoticed. They managed to tie all of the rope that they had together to form a chain that would be long enough to go over the wall. They used bits a pieces of clips and knives to form a grappling hook to tie onto the rope. The plan was to try and go over the wall when night fell to allow them to be less visible and therefore less likely to get caught. They were highly unsure as to what the situation was like inside the walls, let alone what type of people were in them. The place could have been filled with thieves and thugs or knights and noblemen. Either way, they were foreigners to this new place.

When they threw the grappling hook they realized that the rope they had was not enough length for them. The hook hit the side of the wall and fell to the ground. With disappointment, they had to rethink the plan. Everyone stood around each other as Nicholas held onto the grappling hook trying to devise a plan. The only person who was not a part of the group was Jack. He watched the wall and assessed the situation on his own. Without saying a word, he walked over to Nicholas and snatched the hook and rope out of his hands.

"Hey what do you think you're doing?" Nicholas cried out.

Jack ignored him as he continued to yell at him. Jack swung the hook around and launched it high up into the air. As he threw it, he made sure that he was not holding onto the rope at all. This enable to the hook to soar up above to the wall. It hooked itself to the ledge as the rope dangled down below. Nobody said a word to each other as they all stared at the dangling rope.

"Is someone going to give me a lift or what?" Jack called out with a bit of annoyance in his voice.

Lucas hurried over to him and lowered his hands down. Once positioned nicely, he lifted Jack up high. He kept lifting him high above his head until Jack was able to reach the rope. He gave a tug on it to ensure that it was secured and not about to fall off. Once determined that it was safe enough to climb, he began to pull himself up the wall with minimal effort. Everyone followed behind Jack as Lucas began lifting one person up after another.

Keith was right behind Jack as he reached the ledge. He met with Jack's hand as he helped him up over.

"I'll go look for some more rope or something to help Lucas," Jack stated.

Keith nodded as he began to help everyone else up and over the wall. Jack was quick to come back with the rope and tied it to the end of the hook. Once everyone was off of it, he untied the grappling hook and tied on the extra rope. With a bunch of them holding onto it, they were able to lift Lucas over the edge of the wall.

What was on top was something interesting. The top of the wall had various large cannons and supplies. There were things in crates such as ropes and cannon balls. It was then that they confirmed that the wall was designed to protect the people inside from what was outside. How long they have lived like this was unknown to them but what was clear was that they were at risk getting caught up there.

Jack quickly tied the grappling hook back onto the rope and hooked it onto the other side of the wall. He lowered the rope below and made sure that there was no one nearby that would see them. Jack went first once again as the others were not far behind him. Keith was the last one up top, making sure that everyone was getting down ok. He was about to climb over the ledge when he heard voice.

"HEY, YOU THERE! STOP!"

He looked over to see two men running towards them. They were wearing matching clothes that appeared to be uniforms. Keith looked passed that and noticed the weapons that were strung at their sides. He had not seen anything quite like it before, but he was not prepared to see it up close just yet. He looked down as he watched everyone nearing the ground. Not wanting to get the others caught he made the decision to sacrifice himself for the others. He grabbed the grappling hook and threw it over the edge once no one was on it. The others watched in shock as Keith remained up top. He began to run along the wall with the men after him. He pulled his hood over his face and ran at full speed. He glanced out at the city that was within the walls, and watched the lights dancing in the darkness. As he continued to run he could hear the men draw their swords. He began to panic knowing that there was no way he could escape them. It decided to make a decision he may regret but one that Keith was willing to take. He looked down below and for the best opportunity that he could have. It was his intentions to jump down below for the quickest getaway. Down below was a large hay pile near a stable. He ran closer to the edge and made a leap of faith. He could hear the men grovel as he was falling from the wall. He landed within the hay pile breaking his shoulder in the process.

Keith turned onto his back and saw the men peer over the edge down at him. It was only a matter of time before they came down from the wall to his location. He was unsure of how easy it was for them to crawl down but he didn't want to waste any time. With his broken shoulder he winced in pain and got up.

Meanwhile everyone else had realized the situation that Keith was placed in. They ran away from the wall and further into town. It was in their best interest to split up into three groups. Nicholas and Madame Nina ran off in one direction, Lucas and few others ran off in another, and Jack and those remaining ran straight ahead. It was agreed that they would try to find each other in the morning when they can assess things a little better.

As Keith ran away from the wall, he began to feel the pain in his shoulder lessen as he had hoped for. It still hurt, but it was bearable for him especially in the current situation. He ran into the city and through the streets. He ducked around corners and came across a small alley. He ran into it to catch his breath and figure out what was going on. Keith peered out of the corner and made sure that no one was nearby. He pulled off the cloak he was wearing knowing that the men would recognize it. There was a barrel nearby which was empty. He threw the cloak inside and began to walk out holding onto his arm.

There weren't very many people walking around at that hour of night. It was quiet and peaceful with a bit of a chill in the air. Keith wrapped his arms around himself as he walked through the streets. There was something about the buildings that almost made him feel like he was in a completely different world. It was almost like a place out of time for him. It wasn't long before he heard a voice he recognized. It was Madame Nina hiding behind a couple of crates. Keith quickly ran over to her and saw Nicholas.

"Are you alright sweetie?" she asked him. She pulled her red cloak off and draped it around him. "I can tell that you were running pretty hard, the sweat and heat from your body is actually creating steam in this cold air."

"Are you guys alright? Are those guys after you too? Where are the others?" Keith lurched forward towards them and winced a bit in pain from his shoulder.

"Relax, we are fine. The others should be fine. We split up to make it less obvious. Let me look at your shoulder," Nicholas replied.

Keith pulled back from him, "I'll be fine."

"Nonsense, let me look at it," Nicholas stated pulling the cloak aside. He saw the swelling of Keith's shoulder and gave a little examination on it. "Well it doesn't appear to be too bad. I think if we put your arm in a sling, you'll be fine." He reached under his own cloak and tore off a bit of his sleeve. He reached over and started tying off the sling around Keith's neck. Keith remained on high alert watching the streets as Nicholas tended to him. With his arm now in a sling, he would be unable to fight and defend himself. He had to rely on the others for protection.

"Now that, that is taken care of, let's find a place to rest for the night."

"I have some gold, I'm sure these people value the concept of gold at least. We should be able to find a place to rest," Madame Nina stated revealing the bag tucked in her sleeve of her dress.

The three of them began to wander the streets in search of a place to stay. Most of the places nearby were residential homes. It was hard to determine where they should go to be able to find a place. However, they were able to come across something. There was a building that labelled itself as a bed and breakfast with a large wooden sign over the door. They walked in and were greeted by a large gentlemen at a desk. He was a stern business fellow who wore a serious expression on his face as they approached. He seemed to be the unfriendly type which may be harder for them to be able to get a room.

"Excuse me sir, we wish to use a room for the night," Madame Nina said with a smile.

"Sorry, can't do it."

"Why not?" she asked kindly.

"You aren't from around here are you?"

"No we are travellers you see and we just arrived to your town."

"Is that so?"

"So if you may, we are very tired, and my son here is injured," she gestured to Keith.

"Injured huh. This is your kid?"

"Adopted yes."

"And I see no ring on your finger or anything."

"I'm a widow actually. My husband died long ago in a horrible attack."

"I can't say no to a widowed mother." He reached down a pulled a key from the under the desk. "No funny business alright. It's going to be the last door on the right."

"Thank you for your kindness sir," Madame Nina replied grabbing the key and nodding her head in respect.

They walked into the room and were welcomed by a musky smell. The place hadn't been cleaned in sometime, but it still was a place to sleep. The room was lit up with oil lamps, something that they were not used to seeing in a building. Although they used lamps when they were in their tents, building back in Rhea were a lot different than the buildings here. Nobody even questioned as to why the man didn't want to give them the room to begin with, but what mattered was that they had a place to rest for the night.


	10. The Start of the Search

Words haunted him, "No one will believe you."

Caroline, the medic that they had grown up with was from the very family that created a serum. It was the very serum that had turned people into mindless beings. The same serum that the Crovus Clan had sought after for power. And yet, there was no proof that such a serum even existed or so it was believed. He wanted to believe that there was some other explanation out there. Was this the real reason that the pure blooded titans were wiped out. Were these mindless creatures a result of the pure blooded titans' history?

Keith was woken up by the sounds of Nicholas and Madame Nina preparing for the day. He slowly got up from the bed and rubbed his eyes. Through the blurriness he was able to make out the image of Nicholas crouching by his bed. He put Keith's glasses in his hands prompting him to put them on his face.

"It's incredible how long these things have lasted given the amount of times you've crashed and thrown yourself around."

"I've gotten used to it. Besides I usually hold onto the sides of my face if I think they're going to fall off," he replied pulling the blankets off of him.

"Here let me help you back into the sling."

Keith remembered what happened the night before. The crash from the ground had caused him to break his shoulder. However this morning he felt completely fine. There was nothing bothering him, however he didn't want to take any risks and decided it was best for his arm to be placed in the sling. Nicholas lifted his arm up gently watching out for the injury. Once in the sling Keith quickly cleaned himself off.

The three of them left the bed and breakfast and began to wander around the town. Since the group had split up, it was time for them to regroup and figure out what their next step was going to be. Keith observed their surroundings and picked up on a few things that were relatively different from their homeland.

Aside from the town being caged in by a massive wall, everyone seemed to be living their lives much differently in a way. Back home people were using electricity, steam powered machinery, and the likes. Here it was as if they didn't exist. Everything was done by hand in the traditional methods. It was as if the advancement of technologies hadn't fully reached the people here.

As they continued to walk around, Keith made a note of the types of people who lived in the area. Most appeared to be some sort of farmer. It was almost as if there were no signs of nobility within the town. Among the people were a select few in what appeared to be uniforms. They were wearing white pants and brown crop jackets. On their jackets were emblems, however not every person in the uniform wore the same emblem. Some of them wore two roses on their jackets while others wore a unicorn. What was apparent though was the fact that they seemed to be authority figures. The ones in the unicorns carried around guns. Those with roses did not seem to carry any weapons on them at all. However, all those in the uniform worse a brown leather harness which had straps from their legs to their chest. What the harness was used for was completely unknown, but was rather intriguing.

"Madame Nina," Keith whispered.

She turned her head to face him and raised an eyebrow.

"I want to discreetly learn more about this place. Do you think that's alright if I wander around the town on my own?"

She looked over at Nicholas who wore a look of uncertainty. Disregarding Nicholas, she allowed Keith to take off on his own while they searched for the others. Keith turned a corner to separate from them and made his way down a street. He could see a few people talking to one another here and there. He quietly listened in to as many conversations as he could. Although they didn't give him much information, they did give him something.

He had learned of a couple of different places. Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sheena. With this Keith referred to the giant wall that encased the town. He overheard a group of young boys talking about joining the military. They wanted to be well recognized in their families. They were talking about which faction of the military they wanted to join but Keith couldn't make out what they were saying over the arguing. Not much else was learned about the town through the eyes of the people he was near. Aside from that, it appeared to be a normal town with no other abnormalities.

The group had found each other at last as the sun was starting to fall for another day. They regrouped and headed back to the bed and breakfast until the next day. Everyone was eager to learn more about this new place. There was a buzz of excitement that was in the air. Everyone felt the same aside from Nicholas. He was still fixated on locating Lana.

That evening before everyone went to bed, Nicholas declared that they would set out the next day to the next town. He wanted to continue the search for her disregarding the vast lack of knowledge that they had of the place. They were going deeper into unknown ground. With limited money they were sure to not make it too far.

Lucas made it clear that their journey was going to be cut short due to the lack of provisions they had for the amount of people that was around. It was decided that they would put their skills to work and earn some money for their travels.

Keith was in charge of gathering the money from the people while the others put on a show. It was their intention to do a street performance to see if anyone was willing to give them money. People began to gather as they watched them dance around and do various tricks. They really had developed quite the crowd of people who thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Eventually they did catch the eyes of some unwanted audience members.

Two women and one man dressed in uniforms with the unicorn approached the area. They were not impressed by the acrobatics that the group was showing off. One of the women grabbed Keith's cloak and yanked him down to the ground. The coins sprayed everywhere as he was trying to pick them up and keep them together. He looked up at the woman, her golden hair dangling below her shoulders.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked.

"We are hungry, we are just trying to earn some money for food," Keith proclaimed getting up from the ground.

"None of you have any jobs?"

"No ma'am, we are poor and are trying to survive. We don't have any jobs to speak of."

"People like you should stick to the Underground," she stated as the three of them walked away.

The crowd had become very uneasy with the situation and had started to disperse.

"Underground?" Keith questioned not knowing what the lady meant by that.

He continued to pick up the coins and place them in his hat as the others had started to help. They were excited to see the amount of coins they were able to earn just in the little time that they had. This was enough to at least get them through the week, or so they had hoped.

"Hey, you guys aren't from around here are you?" came a voice from nearby.

Keith and the others looked to see who it was and were surprised to find a different man in a uniform with the roses.

"No we aren't. We are from a nearby town," Nicholas replied.

"No, I mean you guys aren't from around HERE. Within the walls."

Everyone showed shocked faces to the person before them. He stood with a sly smile on his face. The smile forming wrinkles on his cheeks as his eyes were filled with delight.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I was wondering when I'd run into you folks. I saw you climbing down the wall. You should be careful around here. Those in the Military Police Brigade are very mindful and keep a watchful eye on any who disobey the law. Especially in these parts. Come with me and I can maybe help. Not just anyone climbs over the wall for no reason. The name is Larry and I'm a Captain of the Garrison division."

They followed the man to his home located within the town. Everyone was welcomed to some warm tea as they had started settling themselves in. Larry was kind hearted and opened his doors for those who were outsiders. At first the group didn't fully trust him and therefore concealed most of the information at first. They wanted to learn more about the area and this man before they could make any further decisions.

Larry was a member of the Garrison, a military faction that has the duty of protecting the walls. The walls are to be protected by two different sources. The inside from the people who wish to tear it down, and the outside the creatures that will consume all human life. He referred to the creatures as titans. This struck the troupe as an odd concept seeing how the only titan they know of was Lana. They had come to learn that within the land, this is what they know as a titan. A creature that consumes all human life for no benefit, an unwanted being.

Keith thought back to the serum, he wondered if anyone within the walls had any knowledge of it. He wanted to ask, but was hesitant. He didn't trust the man before him well enough to ask him such an important question, let alone sharing the information with the others.

Within the military there are two other factions. One was the Military Police Brigade which is in charge of enforcing the law. The other faction is known as the Survey Corps, a faction put together to venture outside of the walls for possible expansion.

There are three walls. The innermost wall being Wall Sheena, where the capital lies. This is where the king lives and rules. The middle wall is Wall Rose with Wall Maria being the outermost wall. Wall Maria is also the wall with the most land proving valuable for farming and supplying food for all citizens within the walls.

The information that they were learning was very intriguing. Life within the wall seemed pretty normal. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their lives.

Keith asked Larry about the Underground, remembering the soldier mentioning it. He explained that the Underground was a place within the interior. It was a place mostly for those who are thugs and thieves, but those who live in a great deal of poverty also live within the hidden city. It is literally a city under the capital.

"So now that I have kind of filled you all in on what goes on around here, tell me a bit about yourselves."

"We come from a different land entirely. We sailed here in search of a friend," Lucas stated.

"Sailed?"

"Yeah on a boat across the ocean," Keith replied.

"Ocean, you shouldn't be talking about that kind of stuff around here. Just a warning."

"Why not?" Madame Nina asked.

"Most things from the books written long ago are forbidden. They talk about what life was like before the walls. Before things took a turn for humanity. Stuff like the ocean, lands of sand, all of it forbidden to even mention around here. Any life beyond those walls is a crime."

"Then how come you know or at least talk about them?"

"My father was a scholar. He kept many books that I liked to read. Some of them were taken by the M.P's but not all of them. There was one book that remained hidden. That was the book that changed everything for me. A life outside of the wall. A world beyond what we see. I've always wanted to see that."

"Then why didn't you join this…what was it?"

"The Survey Corps? Well because I value my life too much. They talk about venturing outside of the walls and have actually done it however it seems very little progress is being made. Right now all they have been doing is trying to study the titans to see how they could get passed them, and yet no results. So here I am instead. But enough about me. You said that you were here in search of a friend?"

"Yes, we lost a friend of ours and believe she could be here." Nicholas stated.

"And what makes you so sure that this friend of yours may turn up here?"

"Well that's the thing…"

"You aren't sure. Alright then. Well because I think you folks are such fascinating people, I'm willing to help you out. Take this money and go to the stables. Tell the man that Larry sent you. You should be able to get a couple of horses and a wagon with this and be able to start your travels."

He pulled out of his pocket a small pouch filled with coins. Keith was wide eyed at the man's kindness.

"Why, why go through all of this to help us?" he asked.

"You see, with you folks just turning up out of the blue like this, it gives me a bit of hope. The hope that we all can one day go beyond these walls and be free from all of this. You are living proof that there can be a life beyond this cage."

The group took the money and made their way to the stables. This was the start of the next part of their journey.

The troupe travelled to each town, through each wall. Their hope of finding Lana was wearing thin. They worked hard for their money and sometimes fell desperate enough to steal. Time had gone by as the memories of their homeland had become faint.

It didn't take them too long to earn enough money to find a place within Wall Sheena. The search slowly came to a halt. The time away had allowed them to let go of the past and look on to the future. They liked their new lives within the wall. Even though Lana was not a part of the group, they had become accustomed to the idea that she is now in a place of her own. The search was over after just a few months.

A year had gone by since their arrival. Keith made sure that he kept in touch with Larry. He was inspired by the man's compassion and had it in his best interest to do better within his own life. Along with Lucas, Jack, and Nicholas it was decided that they wanted to be a part of the military. Although it was not on the greatest wishes of Madame Nina, she knew that there was no way for her to stop the boys in achieving what they wanted.

However, there were somethings that would stop them. They had no proof of who they really were within the world. Keith brought this up with Larry as it was crucial to have some sort of identification in order to join the military. He had pulled out a document of his own and gave it to Keith. Months went by as Keith worked hard on studying the paper that was given to him. The fluidity of the designs in the corners, the curvatures of the writing. It was a painful task but he was able to do it. With a steady hand and a determined mind, Keith was capable of forging documents for the four of them that would help them enlist themselves into the military.

For Keith the military was something of a way to find out what may have happened to this land and what the serum may be. It was a way for him to believe that he could be better than what was perceived of him a way to prove himself. He was always the assassin's child, a dark mark that hung over his shoulders clouded his reputations. He wanted to prove himself that he could use his skills for good and help recover the mysterious that have been clouded with dust. Lucas wanted to remain by Keith's side. He wanted to make sure that Keith didn't get himself into any sort of trouble. He believed that there wasn't much else for him anyways and decided that the military might be a path for him to choose.

Jack and Nicholas were different stories. With the Military Police Brigade mostly residing within the interior Nicholas was determined to join the faction. He believed that by being a soldier of the M.P's he would be able to gain access to files and other documents. He wanted to be fully sure that Lana was not within the walls anywhere before fully moving on himself. Jack never explained his motives. It was as if he was just following the crowd.

When the time finally came, they approached the building where applicants would be assessed. The process was short and consisted of a quick first glance judgement. As they waited in the line-up an older gentleman was sitting at the table taking in the papers. He wore circled glasses and a thin mustache that was the same color as his mousy brown hair. The man showed age with the greys showing through his colored hair, the lines on his face had proven that he had some stories to tell. In the end, he sat there proudly wearing his uniform as he was deciding who would be the next generation of soldiers to serve the land.

When it came to Keith and the others to hand in their papers, it was almost a nerve racking moment. The man was intimidating, he had yet to say anything to him and yet his eyes pierced through Keith. He could feel his palms getting sweaty as he began to shake and fear the outcome.

"Name."

"Keith Aberdeen sir."

"Why are you so nervous?"

"Not sure sir."

"Well don't be Keith. You seem like a fine lad. How do you feel about the land you live in?"

"I love it, it's a beautiful place."

"Good, would you do anything to protect it and the futures of those who reside?"

"Of course."

"Then congrats cadet, you are in the Training Corps."

Keith and the others were all accepted as the new cadets of the Training Corps. They were to set out the next day to the camp within the north sector of Wall Maria. The excitement between all of them was in the air. The regretful Madame Nina couldn't help but to smile at the boys. She looked upon them and saw how mature they had all become. They were no longer the boys that she once knew. They were men who were eager to create a new future for themselves.

As they were preparing to leave their home, Keith and Lucas throwing their things in a wagon as they waited for Nicholas and Jack to join them. As Nicholas approached, Keith turned to see Jack talking to Madame Nina. Something didn't feel right to him. Their body language was off and not like someone saying goodbye. They both were serious as they were talking to one another. Keith brushed it off as something typical for Jack. But deep down in his stomach it didn't feel right.

Upon their arrival to the camps, they were greeted by the very man who had assessed them. He stood before all of them as they were awaiting for their directions. Many men and woman were present varying in different ages. It was apparent to Keith and the others that they had seemed rather old in comparison to some of the other faces that stood alongside them. As it had appeared that others were in their late teens, Keith and the others were in their mid-twenties.

"My name is Isaac Tulp. I am a medical advisor for the Military Police Brigade. You may be wondering why a medical advisor was placed under you supervision. I have no answer for you as I have no idea myself. As of right now though, it is my job to hand you off to your Captain. He will be in charge of training you to become the soldiers that we need. From there on, it will be your decision as to which path you choose to take. The Military Police Brigade, the Garrison, or the Survey Corps. I wish you all good luck."

Thus the next step in their lives begins. Never before had they believed that they would ever become soldiers. They went from being performers of a circus, to being cadets in the military. The path that they choose is detrimental to the future that lies ahead and what before them was nothing any of them had ever dared to imagine.


	11. Act 2

The four men sat down at a table about to eat their first meal as cadets. They were joined by two others who looked a few years younger than them. One of them had shaggy blonde hair much like Keith and wore thick square glasses. The other had short mousey brown hair and was seen with a lollipop sticking out of his mouth. The group exchanged pleasantries with one another as they all began to eat their meals.

"I'm Spencer, this is my friend Allen," the man said pointing at his friend with his lollipop.

"Pleasure, I'm Lucas, this fella here is my main man Keith. And you have Jack and Nicholas just over there."

"No offense to you guys, but aren't you a little old to be trainees? I mean usually at your age, you'd be full-fledged soldiers by now."

"Late bloomers I guess," Nicholas replied with a laugh.

The six of them became caught up in conversation as they were discussing the hardships that were about to laid out before them. They were soldiers and they were about to become dedicated in their line of work. The topic of factions came up as each one was curious as to what faction they would go in.

"So what, are you guys wanting to join?" Keith asked.

"Well, I want to be part of the Survey Corps. I want to be able to see them up close and personal. I want to know what makes them tick."

"You're nuts, you really want to go head on with one of those things?" Lucas proclaimed.

"He isn't the only one yeah know. I want to see things for myself," Spencer replied.

The other four all agreed that they didn't want to come into contact with those beings ever again. They decided to try their best and make their way to the Military Police Brigade and vowed to never come in contact with a titan ever again.

During their training the four became quite close with Spencer and Al. The six of them treated each other like brothers. Spencer came from family of engineers. He lived and breathed technology. It wasn't until one day that his family's house burnt to the ground that everything for Spencer changed. All of his inventions he made with his father were gone along with his sister. However, it was their chance to start a new life with new inventions. His father signed on with the military and began assisting in the technology development program of the Military Police Brigade. This inspired Spencer to join the military himself to be able to use his own father's inventions in action.

Al on the other hand was destined to be a teacher. As a child, he was considered to be quite the intellectual. However, he wasn't very good at sports but he was good with books. His mother and father were both teachers at the school in their village. Al would often find himself after school working on neat projects with his parents. He learned so many new things that the other kids couldn't quite understand. One day the Survey Corps came into their village. Al was lucky enough to speak to one of the individuals who was in charge of the titan research. It was at that moment that the fire was lit in him. He wanted to know more about the titans, what they were and where they came from. He had so many questions left unanswered. That was when he decided to find the answers himself.

The four Sidonia members used what they knew to their advantage. Their skills within the circus had proven to be exceptional when put into use as a soldier. They become like celebrities with their skills. The achieved high scores in vertical maneuvering using harness's that were strapped to their bodies and a gas chamber on either leg. Keith was especially good at maneuvering himself in the air thanks to his training as an acrobatic. Their combat skills were phenomenal and almost unstoppable. With their basic understanding of titans through Lana, they even excelled at their classroom lessons, which Jack highly excelled at thanks to his lessons with her. Even their back country training was simple to them thanks to the hardships they had experienced traveling with the circus. Everyone was amazed and strived to be just like them.

During the entire process, they became good friends with Spencer and Allen and were not looking forward to the day where they would all be separated. Things as a recruit had eased the pains in their hearts. They had found a new life and smiles where on their faces once again. It was almost as if nothing had ever happened to them. Keith completely forgot about the serum, he just wanted to become a perfect soldier. Nicholas was less driven to find Lana. Even Jack knew how to crack a smile every now and again. The four of them were truly happy once more.

Three years had gone by and it was finally time for them to graduate as full-fledged soldiers. Proudly they all stood before their leader as he had begun to announce the top ten eligible for the Military Police Brigade.

"At ten, Isabel Hawthe. Ninth, Liam Evans. Eighth, Jackie Strong. Seventh Lucas Anderson."

Lucas let out a sigh of relief fearing that he wouldn't make it.

"Sixth, Hange Zoe. Fifth, Jack Adder. Fourth, Spencer Dean. Third, Ino Santura. Second, Nicholas Elric. And finally in first we have Keith Aberdeen."

Keith was wide eyed at the belief that he out ranked Nicholas. He looked over at Lucas who had a large grin on his face as Nicholas was stunned. Keith couldn't contain himself as he shouted with excitement.

"MR. ABERDEEN you can celebrate after the ceremony!" yelled their captain.

Keith was not hesitant to shut his mouth and straighten himself up as the others tried to contain themselves from laughing.

"You ten now have the decision to make on whether or not you wish to join the Military Police Brigade. If you decide to join, you may leave, the rest will remain."

Without further hesitation Keith, Nicholas, Jack, and Lucas began to make their way out of the colosseum. Keith looked back to see Spencer standing his ground proudly as his goal was just before him. They were the only four out of the ten to make the decision to join the M.P's, but it was decision that they were wanting to make.

The cold night air was upon them as they watched the stars above. They all sat in their training corps uniforms one last time bearing the two crossed swords on their badges and back.

"Do you guys still miss her?" Keith asked the others remembering the whole reason why they were there to begin with.

"Every day," Lucas replied.

"Come on, let's get going, it's getting late," Nicholas proclaimed reaching out for Keith.

The following day, they said their goodbyes to Spencer and Al as they were making their way with the rest of the newly named Survey Corps soldiers.

"Shit, check it out, Hange is joining too," Lucas pointed at the eagerly excited person.

"Yikes. Well I have to admit that they are a strong fighter. Maybe they'll bring some good for the Survey Corps. When they get serious, they can get serious it's really scary," Keith replied remembering and unforgettable and regretful encounter they had shared one time during combat training.

"You two look sharp, your cart awaits to take you to the capital!" called out a Military Police Brigade soldier.

The four of them got into the cart. They had informed of Madame Nina of their new positions and what awaited them from here on out. As the four of them were training as recruits, she had started the circus back up again. With the remaining members, they tried their best to put on a great show for all to see. It was smaller than what they were used to, but they were still able to make do with the skills that they had.

The four men made their way to the Military Police Brigade barracks where they would be suited up with their new jacket and new roles to play. The journey was a long one to get from Wall Maria to Wall Sheena, but the excitement over weighed the dread of the ride.

Waiting for them at the base was their new commander. They stepped off of the wagon and saluted the man before them by placing a right fist on the left side of their chest and a left fist on the back of their right hip. This was the official salute taught to them in their early days as recruits. The commander responded with the same salute and nodded towards them in acknowledgement. The four were given their jackets that had the green unicorn displayed on back, shoulders and chest. With their old recruit jackets finally retired, they were now able to make a name for themselves. It was three years of hard work, but to them it was worth it to get them here.

When they were finally settled in their dorms, Keith made sure to start writing a letter to Larry of the Garrison. He wanted to make him proud of what they had accomplished in the five years of them living here in the strange land. Keith reached up along the wall in search for a light switch.

"Right, I don't think I will ever get used to that one," he said to himself realizing that running electricity wasn't exactly a thing within the walls.

During their time within the walls, they have had to make several adjustments. With the lack of technology that they were used to they still found themselves looking for simple things such as light switches.

He sat down and began writing his letter to Larry under the candlelight as Lucas was settling in for the night. The two of them were very thankful that they would be able to room together like they had been at the training camps. Keith did not like the idea of having to share a room with someone he didn't even know.

Once the letter to Larry was completed, Keith peered over his shoulder to see if Lucas was still awake. After verifying he wasn't, Keith reached in to a small box that he had kept with him for almost five years. In them were pieces of paper folded up neatly. He pulled out a fresh piece and laid it in front of him on the desk.

Dear Lana,

Not a day goes by where I don't miss you. I just wish that I could hear your voice again, or even the sound of you turning pages of a book. I miss those days.

I often wonder where you are, what has become of you. To me these letters are a way of coping. Even if I don't get a response in return.

I've become a member of the Military Police Brigade. I want to be able to prove to myself that I can move past everything. Start fresh almost. However, the haunting thoughts are still in my head.

What was this serum that my clan was after? Was it the same titan serum that Caroline was talking about? I'm not too sure. I remember Caroline talking about the titans beyond the wall being a product a serum experimentation. I have asked around and it seemed that no one has any knowledge of any sort of thing existing. They have no clue where these titans have even come from.

I do remember reading in one of your books though, that there was a case of titans, or rather Unwanteds as the book called them, appearing on Rhea. It can't be a coincidence that they had appeared back in our homeland. Something is very unusual here. I want to be able to get to the bottom of things. Maybe even save these people from being trapped within the walls. Although maybe I should have joined the Survey Corps then.

Anyways, maybe being an M.P will allow me to dig deeper into the secrets of the walls. It's funny, I feel like you. Wanting to know more about things that are out there. I only just wish that you were here with me to help me through this. We could work together.

Keith

He dropped the pen and leaned back in the chair staring at the ceiling. A small tear dropped from his eye as he closed them. It was complete silence in the room.

"Keith," came a saddened female's voice. "Keith I miss you."

Keith abruptly woke up from the chair. He slammed his hands on the table paralyzed. He was sure that it was her voice that he heard. He peered around the room and saw no one else besides Lucas. Lucas continued to sleep un-phased by what was going on.

"She's alive," Keith whispered trying to control himself.

The voice may had been a dream, but he was sure of it. She was out there somewhere alive and he knew it.

The following morning, the four were ordered to meet down the stairs in the main hall of the base. They stood promptly up against the wall awaiting for the orders that they would receive. They weren't the only ones. There were a select few other graduates from other regions who were eager to start their new life.

The commander came down the stairs and walked up and down the line of soldiers. Each one of them were staring straight ahead of them without making any eye contact.

"Aberdeen!"

"Yes sir!" Keith shouted.

"I want you on patrol duty with Watson."

"Yes sir!" he shouted with a salute.

He had no idea who Watson was, but assumed that they were not any of the soldiers standing present.

Everyone was dismissed with their orders as Keith headed to the storage house. He geared himself up with a vertical maneuvering device along with a rifle. A rifle was mandatory for those in the Military Police Brigade on patrol. It was their job to maintain order within the walls. The capital was especially troublesome considering how the Underground was a component that they had to deal with.

As Keith slung his rifle on his shoulders he could hear a sensual voice of a woman before him.

"You must be the new recruit I'm stuck with."

He looked up from the buckles and saw a beautiful woman standing before him. She had a sly smile on her face. Her sharp features were intimidating. Her wavy long dark brown hair was parted to the side revealing the beauty mark on the corner of her left eye. Keith stammered as he tried to pick out the words he was trying to say. He was star struck.

"Look alive recruit, we have work to do," she said patting him on the back as she went to get gear of her own.

The two of them walked around the town and made sure that things were well with the citizens. There seemed to be nothing wrong on the beautiful sunny day. All was quiet and calm.

"So tell me, does the recruit have a name?" she asked turning towards him.

"Uh…Keith…Keith Aberdeen."

"Pleasure to meet you Keith. I'm Squad Leader Watson, Robin Watson," she replied holding out her hand.

Keith responded as the two shook their hands.

"I expect high things from you. You achieved the highest marks out of any of the recruits that we have received. I'm quite impressed, you also don't seem to be as young as the other recruits. What's your story?"

"My story?"

"Yeah, what brings you here soldier?"

"Well…I first started out searching for a long lost friend, sister if you will. When I couldn't find her, it seemed like all hope was lost. Then I turned to the life of the military. It was a way for me to cope, to try and make myself feel better about everything. I believed that being a soldier may one day help me find her."

"Well Keith, that's quite the story you have there."

"Uhh, thanks? So….what made you want to be a soldier?"

"Watched my brother get beaten to death by people from the Underground my sister and I barely escaped with our lives."

Keith immediately shut his mouth and kept silent. He felt awkward for asking in the first place not expecting a response like that.

"I'm kidding by the way."

Relieved Keith listened to what she had to say. Robin was born a fighter. She was never like the other girls around her. She always hung around the boys and did exactly what they would do. She hated pretty pink frilly things that most of the other girls liked. She wasn't hesitant to get her hands dirty. That's when she fell in love with the idea of being in the military. Her parents wanted to her to marry and start a life with a family, but she didn't want to listen to her parents. She wanted to do the opposite and joined the military instead.

They continued to make their way through the city watching the people go about their day. All was fine until they heard yelling.

"Sounds like someone is having a party without us. Shall we," Robin proclaimed with a smile.

She tied her hair up quickly into a ponytail and ran towards the sound. Keith was not far behind her as they made their way through the streets. They made it to the scene where they saw an elderly woman kneeling on the ground.

"They took my grandson, they took my grandson," she cried out pointing in the direction of the kidnappers.

Keith did not hesitate and began sprinting down the street. He focused his breathing to ensure that he was not wasting any stamina. The sound of gas spurting out and metal being reeled in could be heard. Keith looked up ahead and saw Robin using her gear.

"Did you forget that we had these," she shouted soaring past him.

Keith was humiliated at the realization that he was still getting used to having equipment. He reached and grabbed the triggers that activated the gas mechanism of the device. He clicked on the triggers that released the clasps. Once lodged into a solid surface, he used another trigger to activate the gas. He propelled himself upwards by reeling in the cords that had sprung out of the device at his hip. The gas gave him speed as he began soaring through the air. He soon caught up with Robin.

Down below they could see the kidnapper running with the child. The child had a burlap sack placed over his head as he was being carried. Keith was eager to show off what he could do in front of Robin. He wanted to prove to her that he was in fact an asset to the brigade.

By using the vertical maneuvering device, he pushed himself further ahead. He threw himself downward right in the path of the kidnapper. The man stumbled at the sight of a soldier in front of him. Keith straightened up and pointed his gun straight at the man.

"Put the child down and surrender," he called out.

The man stammered and started to back up. Right behind him was Robin with her own rifle held up. The man backed into hers as fear sprung in his eyes.

"Do as he says, and nobody will get hurt."

Everyone in the area watched as the two soldiers remained calm and motionless. The kidnapper on the other hand was freaking out at the sight of two soldiers holding him up at gun point. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out a knife. In his fear he went to strike the small child that was in his arms. Without even blinking Keith made his shot. What seemed as seconds to everyone else felt like minutes to Keith.

The bullet knocked the knife out of his hand. With great speed a second shot was fired causing a bullet to hit the man's shoulder. Keith through his gun and ran to catch the child before they hit the ground. With a great amount of speed, he was able to reach the child just in time. In one fluid motion, Keith had clipped a blade onto a hilt and drew a sword. The end of the sword was pointed directly at the throat of the kidnapper.

"Please, spare me," he called out.

With a sadistic smile Keith went to make a final blow. Robin had grabbed a hold of Keith's arm before contact was made.

"Enough soldier stand down. The court will handle him from here."

When the kidnapper was detained and the child was returned, the grandmother was very thankful. Keith was humbled by the sight of the two hugging each other. However, what was waiting for him was a different story. He knew that he may have taken things a little far. He met with Robin who had let her hair down. She stood sternly before him as he approached.

"I will admit that you are quite skilled. However, remember that we cannot make the decisions ourselves unless the situation is considered an emergency. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Excellent. Good work, I expect much things from you. Let's get going our shift is almost over."

Keith was expecting more of a punishment, but he was thankful at what he was able to get. He didn't want to try and make matter worse and just hurried by Robin's side.

It was still hard for Keith to this day not to get a thrill when in a fight. It was in his blood. Always in the heat of the moment, it's like his logical sense is being over ridden by the desire to see the blood of his enemies pour. His sadistic behaviour takes over and becomes something unlike his normal self. It was something that Keith himself wanted to work on defeating. He didn't want to lose himself to that side of him. In the hopes of joining the military he wanted to destroy that part of him.

When the shift was over he retired for the night and reflected on the events of that day. The adrenaline rush was something he was not used to anymore. At least in that way or form. He hadn't felt like that since he was a teen back on Rhea. A smile came over his face as the thought of working with Robin came across his mind. Things were going to be different for him and he was ready to take it head on.


	12. The Fall

The four men were adjusting themselves nicely as newly developed soldiers within the walls. They trained, they followed orders, and they worked harder than ever before. Never before had they ever believed that they would be in the position that they are in today.

Keith was called in for a routine examination to see how his physical progress was making out since he had joined the brigade. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He walked into the room as per usual and was graciously greeted by the smiling older Dr. Isaac Tulp.

"Morning Doc, what's on the agenda today?"

"Oh the usual, now sit up straight and let's just check your heart."

Keith responded to the request and began to breathe as accordance to the doctor's command.

"So how are things going with Miss. Watson being your squad leader?"

"Oh her, she is fine. Fantastic even. I'm rather enjoying her as my squad leader."

"I bet you are," Isaac stated pulling away.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The doctor jotted down his notes with a smile, refusing to say any word towards Keith. He peered from his notes and cocked his eyebrow.

"I just noticed how close the two of you have gotten, and so quickly over the last few months."

"And you're point is?" Keith asked as he stood up to be weighed.

"Oh nothing, just forget I said anything."

Keith shrugged off what Isaac had to say as annoying banter. During his visits, Isaac would usually pull at Keith's strings. However, he wasn't the only one he would do that to. The other three always fell victim to Isaac's teasing. The doctor had eyes and ears everywhere and yet no one could pin point where he was getting his information. It was the greatest mystery of the brigade. All in all, the teasing was all the same. Lucas would get teased for being too forgiving of crimes. Jack was teased for scaring the little kids on the streets. Nicholas was always teased about over stepping people's toes. Overall the doctor had developed a lasting relationship with the four men.

It wasn't long before Keith realized what Isaac was referring to. He took notice on the little hints here and there that he was once was oblivious to. The stunning squad leader seemed to have treated him differently than the others. She was kind and gracious and yet to the others she was strict and harsh. It had never occurred to him before until it was pointed out.

Robin was giving out orders to the squad as Keith was standing behind her. He had specific orders of his own that he needed to follow, but he still listened in to the orders she was giving the others. However, as she was standing before him he began to notice something he had overlooked before. The woman before him was beautiful, her long brown hair dangled passed her shoulders. Her body was fit and strong something that Keith admired most about her. Overall she was a gorgeous woman and he never thought about it until now.

Once she had finished giving out her orders she turned around to face him as the squad dispersed. The minute that their eyes locked, Keith could feel the sweat starting to form. He started feeling nervous being in her presence. It was a feeling he had not experienced in a long time. At this point he was unsure of what to do, he didn't think that he would be able to comprehend any words towards her. She stood before him with a small smile on her face.

"What's wrong Keith, you look like you're about to pass out or something," she said with a laugh in her voice.

She walked passed him placing her hand on his shoulder. Keith stammered and couldn't think about what he wanted to do.

"What is wrong with me?" he asked himself quietly.

"What was that?" Robin called out.

"Nothing, I'm coming!" He snapped out of it.

Later that evening Keith was lying in his bed. He couldn't stop thinking about her, it was driving him crazy. Her laugh, her smile, everything about her was running through his mind it was making his heart pound hard in his chest.

Lucas came into the room and was curious over the wide eyed Keith. He approached him with caution and gently waved his hands over Keith's face. It seemed to have snapped him out his trance. Keith was alerted and sprung upright in his bed with eyes still wide.

"Man, are you going to be ok?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, I'm going to be fine…I think?"

"You think, good that's a start. Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"I…think….I think…." Keith stared at Lucas concerned.

Lucas stared back gesturing for him to carry on.

"I think I have feelings for Robin."

"Your squad leader?"

Keith nodded in response with his jaw dropped at the realization that he admitted his feelings.

"Well I'll be damned. I thought you'd never admit it!"

Keith was confused by what Lucas was saying. He didn't quite get what he was referring to and asked for him to explain. Lucas went on to say how he would watch the two of them interact with each other. They were acting close to one another even after a short period of time of knowing each other. The two of them were flirtatious with one another it was almost sickening to others in the brigade. Although not a problem within their line of work, it was a factor that others were jealous of. After many years of trying to be at that level with Squad Leader Robin, they were beaten by a rookie. Nicholas had even commented on how close the two of them had become to Jack. Jack was sickened by the thought, but nobody took romantic advice from him.

Keith fell back into his bed and realized how blind he was to everything. He felt like he was a kid again experiencing something new. However, he wondered about the whole thing. He realized that with these feelings stirring up inside him, he had moved on from his past.

Time had gone by as the four men became well recognized within the brigade. Nicholas had worked hard enough within the ranks that he had earned himself the rank of Vice-Captain. Jack became a squad leader after the retirement of his previous leader. Keith and Lucas were switched into the same squad under Nicholas. They were considered to be the elites of the group and therefore deemed highly valuable.

The beloved doctor and friend retired. When he said his goodbye's to Keith and the others, he promised them that if they needed anything from him to come find them. He vowed that if they were in any trouble in any shape or form, then he would help them to the best of his capabilities. With the parting words, Dr. Isaac Tulp separated from the brigade.

Keith gained the nerve to confront Robin of his feelings. At first there was shock, but then there was relief. She too felt the same way towards him. The two of them pursued a relationship with one another. Not long after came a marriage. The wedding was a beautiful one. All who were able to make it from the Military Police Brigade showed up in their formal uniforms, the Sidonia circus family members were there. All of Robin's friends and family were there and happy to see them marrying.

As Keith stood before his soon to be wife, he gazed out at the smiling faces of his friends and family. There was one person that caught his interest. They were standing at the very back of the room up against the wall. Their face was completely concealed, but he was able to make out a smile. He could see a glisten of a tear on their chin. There was something about this person that he recognized, but he couldn't quite figure out who it was. He turned back to his bride with a smile as she was radiating with happiness before him. He quickly turned back to see if the figure was there, but they were gone. He wanted to know who this person was, or maybe the person was even there to begin with.

The newlyweds were happily ready to start their life together. Robin was discharged from the brigade upon her request. She felt that she may return one day, but for now she wanted to enjoy her life and family to be. Keith sat at their new dining table in their new house as his new wife was happily sharpening his knives. Keith had told Robin everything about his history. He even informed her that he was an outsider. When she heard this news, she was in shock and couldn't quite understand what he was saying at first. It started out as an argument between the two of them with her believing that he was playing a joke on her. Soon, she believed what he was saying when he would tell her stories of his childhood.

Robin was excited to know that there was a whole world beyond the walls that no one knew about. Keith was glad to hear of her acceptance of everything and was relieved that she would keep this between the two of them. However, there was one matter that was important to tell her. It was something he had never told anyone before, not even those within the circus. There is but one other person who knows of his secret and that was it. It was hard for Keith to tell Robin for he was unsure of how she would handle what he was about to tell her.

The two of them sat promptly at the table. Keith sat at one end as she sat on the other gently humming away a tune.

"Robin."

She stopped humming and looked up from the knives.

"I have something very important to tell you. Hate me if you will, but this is very serious and being married to you means that you have to be aware of this."

Robin was silent and very concerned. She hung on to every word that he was saying. When the secret finally came out, she didn't want to believe him at first. She called him insane and an idiot for making things up. Keith's only response was that he was not joking and that he was completely serious on the matter. The tone of his voice was solemn and his facial expression was serious. That alone was enough to send Robin into a state of shock. She really didn't understand what he was telling her until he proved it to her.

Things between the two of them were rough at first, but they remained together. It didn't take long before the two of them started talking normally to each other. The news was a bit of a shock for her but she was able to look past it and see the man that she married. She loved him no matter what the circumstances would be. Not long afterwards Robin had something of her own to share with Keith.

Keith and the others were gathered in the mess hall with a couple of others from the brigade. They were all enjoying each other's companies while having a few drinks. The night was young and the men were having fun. In the excitement and laughter Keith stood up from his chair and raised his glass high.

"Fellas, I'd like to make an announcement to you all!" he shouted.

Everyone at the table was watching Keith with smile as other nearby were listening in.

"Well spit it out," Nicholas shouted raising his glass.

"I'm going to be a father!" He shouted with glee.

The men at the table cheered in delight at the exciting news.

"Wow, this little weasel is actually going to be a dad?" Nicholas teased putting his arm around Keith.

"Can it, you're just jealous that I started a family before you did," Keith nudged him off.

"Congrats man, have you thought of any names yet?" Lucas asked.

"Well sure, Robin and I talked about it briefly but nothing is set in stone just yet?"

"Well go on, let's hear them?" said one of the fellow soldiers at the table.

"If it's a boy, I want to name him Sebastian after my father. If it's a girl, then…" he hesitated for a minute, "I want to name her Emilia after my mother….or Lana."

He looked at the group of men with a smile on his face. There was a little hurt behind his smile and the others could see it. Lucas patted him on the back to comfort him and poured him another drink.

The night continued on as the men happily drunk themselves silly. Their commander was not impressed with the fact that they were found passed out in the hallways. Each of the men received a form of punishment for their excessive drinking as each of them agreed to never take it that far again. Their pounding headaches solidified their agreement.

The year was 845 a year after Robin and Keith had married and since he had been in the Military Police Brigade. Keith had woken up to a note sent to him from his wife Robin.

Keith,

The baby and I are doing great. He is sleeping well through the nights. Dr. Tulp has been much help, I owe him. I hope you are doing well. I can't wait for you to return home on your next day off. Tell the others I say hi and to get back to their duties. My sister has currently settled in and will be helping me when you aren't home. I love you and miss you.

Robin

The note made him feel warm inside. He missed the nights he would share with Robin and his newborn. However, he had something to look forward to. He had sent a time off request to Nicholas that was approved. This would enable him to spend a whole month at home with his family. Although he didn't much care for his sister-in-law Alexandria, he at least managed to get along with her at a reasonable level.

Today was the day that Keith was going to be stuck indoors doing paperwork. Since he had been in Nicholas' squad, it was now part of his duty to assess soldier's abilities and assign them specific duties based on his findings. He quite enjoyed giving orders to other people, it gave him a sense of power.

He stepped into the small office he was given and sat down before the small desk. On his desk however was not the usual paperwork he was used to. There were schematics of some kind. He picked them up and gazed at them. He couldn't quite make much of the information but he was able to make sense of the basics.

The device was meant to be worn and greatly resembled the vertical maneuvering device that they were normally equipped with. The harness was strapped around the chest, waist, and legs. The difference was where the actual device would sit. A normal vertical maneuvering device would have the gas containers placed on top of boxes where they kept replacement blades for their dual swords. One was hooked onto straps at the legs on either side. The gas containers were then connected to a spout on their lower back that had two reels on either side for the cords to launch and retract out of. The gas would then be controlled by triggers found at the hilts of their dual swords. The prints before him were different. There was one singular gas container that was drawn to sit upright on the upper back with the spout attached to it. Straps went along the arms which had a mechanism near the base of the wrist connecting to two reels on the back with the gas container.

"Neat huh?" came the voice of Lucas at the door. Since being a part of the squad, Lucas was in charge of reviewing and managing the engineering division.

Keith was startled which broke his concentration.

"The engineering department is still working out the kinks. They say that this is a device that will help us on patrols."

"What's wrong with the ones we're using now?" Keith asked.

"I think it has to do with the fact that the ones we are using now are meant for using against titans, whereas that one is more for people."

Keith looked back at the image, "Now that you mention it, there are no swords or anything of the sort that would accommodate that."

"Here's the thing though, this has to stay quite."

"Why?"

"They don't want something like this getting into the hands of the public. They say it might scare 'em. That's not all, you'll never guess who I ran into in the halls."

Keith was interested to hear what he had to say and put the paper down.

"Have you ever heard of Kenny the Ripper?"

"The same notorious outlaw that we have been after from the Underground? What is he doing here?"

"Sounds to me like he got a pardon of some sort, don't ask me why. But it also sounds like the men upstairs have something up their sleeve and it involves the first division squad."

"I'm not liking the sounds of this," Keith stated leaning back in his chair.

"I'll leave it with you then," Lucas stated walking out of the room.

Keith wanted to leave it alone, but his gut was telling him otherwise. He got up from his chair and began heading to his room. He headed straight for his closet and opened it wide. Inside was his normal clothes all on one side with Lucas' on the other. However, deep inside was a box with a dark cloak. He pulled the cloak out and began heading back to his office.

With the cloak hidden he continued his work until the right time came. In the meantime, he requested for data on any new people who may have arrived to the barracks. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, there wasn't a single person named Kenny in any of the documents. He wondered what was going on and the lack of information was driving him insane.

Night had finally fallen. Keith got up from his desk and extinguished the candle. He made sure that the door to his office was closed before he opened up the window. It had been a while since Keith had done anything like this. He wondered if he was still capable of going through with his plan. He put on the cloak and climbed out of the window and up onto the roof. He looked down to see how high up from the ground he was and took in a deep breath. From two stories high, he quietly ran on top of the roof and made his way to the opposite end of the building. He quietly started walking around listening to anything that may give him a clue of Kenny.

Down below he watched as a small group of people began to make their way to the building. A couple of them were people he did not recognized. He was sure that these were people that would give him the information that he was looking for. However, with them was Jack. The minute that he saw him, he was taken by surprise. He was almost scared of what the situation was and why Jack was involved to begin with. He wanted to know more.

Once the group had walked into the building Keith quickly climbed down and began to follow them. He remained out of their sight the best that he could. He figured that at this point it was best for him to remove the cloak and continue on wearing his normal uniform. He didn't want to cause any further suspicion.

The group headed into a conference room with Keith close behind. Once the door was closed, Keith immediately had his ear up against the door.

"Well gentlemen I guess it is safe to say that we are in the clear," came a voice he did not recognized. "As some of you are already aware, the time is approaching and it is approaching fast. We have decided who the next holder will be."

"My apologies, but I don't understand quite what is going on?" Keith recognised to be Jack's voice.

"Sorry, that's right I forgot you're new to this. Well the lovely Frieda is at her thirteenth year as the founding titan. We have chosen the next to bare the power."

"I understand that much, but I don't understand how."

"For someone who has experienced with titans as you are I'm quite surprised at the lack of knowledge you have. This will be done through a serum. We will inject the next holder with the serum. They will become a titan and in return eat Frieda. This will cause them to revert back after consuming her and her abilities. They then will become a shifter with the power of the one they consume."

"I've heard of this method before long ago. I never imagined that this actually existed."

Keith listened in horror with his eyes wide. In his years being within the walls, this was his first time hearing anything about a titan serum. He was in a complete state of shock and unsure of what to do. It was almost as if his body wasn't responding. His jaw was dropped as he could feel beads of sweat starting to form.

"Something like that really exists?" came another voice.

"It has existed for many years. It's the way our kingdom can survive through this."

"Great then what do I have to do with any of this?"

"You Kenny Ackerman, have received a pardon for your actions. I want to make a contract with you."

"I'm listening."

It dawned on Keith that the person in the room was Kenny Ackerman or better known as Kenny the Ripper. Keith began to panic further as he could feel his stomach turn. He wasn't sure if he should listen in further or if he should just make his escape now before he would be caught.

"While you two make your contract, I'm going to step out for a minute," came Jack's voice.

Keith immediately got off of the door and made a dash for his escape. He bolted down the hallway and concealed himself around the corner just as the creak of the door could be heard. He tried to calm himself down as he tried to control his breathing. He was completely overwhelmed, an experience he hadn't felt in a long time.

He made it back to his room with Lucas sleeping soundly.

"Lucas, Lucas you have to wake up," Keith said shaking Lucas' shoulders.

"Keith, what on earth do you want," Lucas said groggily as he sat up.

Keith sat down in the bed and removed his glasses to rub his face. He was trying to collect the words to say to him but was finding it hard where to start. Keith started to believe that Jack was keeping secrets with them since their days within the circus. He had a feeling that Jack may have been involved with Madame Nina and Caroline. He feared for what was going to happen next. He wasn't sure what could happen, or if he could even trust Jack anymore.

Lucas was very concerned for his friend, "Woah, I haven't seen you like this since, well since Lana disappeared. What happened to you?"

"Lucas, there is something that I have to tell you, something that I should have even told you long before we came to this place."

Keith told Lucas everything about what he knew about the serum. He told him about Madame Nina's plans and Caroline's background. He told him everything right up to the conversation he heard with Jack in the conference room. Lucas sat their amazed at what he was hearing. He couldn't make sense as to what was going on. It was like Keith was speaking in a different language.

"Slow down, I can't understand a word you're saying anymore."

Keith breathed in and cleared his thoughts, "Jack may have been involved in the plans that Madame Nina and Caroline had."

"And you think he might go after this serum?"

Keith nodded.

"Ok great, now why do you suppose they want this serum?" Lucas asked.

"That's the part that I don't know and the part that scares me."

"Why does it scare you, this is Jack we are talking about. His is a brother to us."

"But this is also the same Jack who doesn't hesitate, who keeps quite about everything, he doesn't like to get involved unless it benefits him. Something about this does not feel right. I hate to admit this, but I don't think I can trust him especially after this."

"Let's get some rest. This is a lot to take in for me anyways. We'll try to figure out what to do and maybe even talk to Jack if necessary."

The following day, Keith was not eager to get out of bed. He stayed awake the entire night unable to sleep. He kept telling himself that he was overreacting, but his gut was trying to convince him otherwise. He felt very uncomfortable with the situation that had fallen in front of him.

The two agreed to just keep a watch out from now on and see if there would be anything suspicious in Jack's behaviour. As they monitored him, they saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Keith was in his office later in the day reviewing papers in regards to the overall supplies of each of the districts within the walls. He noticed out the window that there were a couple of Garrison soldiers walking around. He had seen them a couple of times before when their commander would be visiting the area. He wondered if they might have been there for the confrontation last night. He shook the thought of his head and began focusing back on his work.

A couple of hours had gone by before the door was violently swung open. Lucas stood before him with feared look in his eyes.

"Keith you need to get moving," he shouted.

"Why what's going on?"

"Wall Maria has been breached!"

The severity of the situation instantly negated anything else he had in his head. He quickly got up from his chair and ran out with Lucas behind. They met up with Nicholas and received orders to participate in preparing for the evacuees. Keith didn't think about what had happened last night. In the past, the events that had taken place the night before would cloud his judgement, but with the help of his training and development as a soldier he had a goal in place. His thoughts were clear and he was able to focus at the task. The emergency he was in outweighed any other thought he had. It was his job as a soldier to protect the people.

He and Lucas rode out to Wall Rose as quickly as they could. As they had reached their destination it was too late. Both the inner and outer walls had been broken through. The reports that were given to them stated that a sixty meter titan appeared, kicked a hole though the outer gate of the Shiganshina district, and disappeared without a trace. As titans invaded the district the townspeople fled to the inner part of Wall Maria and were being prepared to be brought into Wall Rose. As the evacuation was in progress a mysterious armored titan broke through the inner wall allowing Wall Maria to be overrun by mindless titans.

Wall Maria was completely gone. Many people had died and many people were lucky to be alive. Keith watched as all of the evacuees were being brought into Wall Rose. His heart sank at the sight. The horror that was laid out in front of him was something he could not relate to.

Lucas approached him from behind, "Do you think this has something to do with last night."

"I can't say for sure, but I don't want to worry about that right now."

Lucas looked at him and questioned his thoughts.

"Right now we have more important things to worry about. We have to deal with thousands of people fleeing Wall Maria. We have to prepare ourselves for the sake of the people. We just lost the largest land for farming. With what we have left, I'm not sure we are going to be able to sustain our population as it is right now."

"So what are you going to do then?" Lucas asked.

"Jack hasn't made any moves for years. He had plenty of opportunities since we have known him to do something. Whatever is going on right now appears to be under the direction of the Military Police Brigade." Keith paused and gazed at the sky above, "If it's under the watch of our Commander and other superiors, then I trust that they know what they are doing. Just look right now at the amount of M.P's that are working their asses off especially the higher ups," he said pointing out at the many soldiers bearing the unicorn mark, "we are all here for the sake of the people. If we as soldiers fall, then the people will fall. I don't believe that Jack wants that. Whatever he has up his sleeve, can't be that bad. He must have some other use for the serum, and if the other guy had already been in contact with it without anyone else knowing of its existence, then I think we'll be ok."

"I trust that you know what you're doing," Lucas said putting his hand on Keith's shoulders.

"I hope so too," he replied wanting to believe his own words.

The collapse of Wall Maria became a devastating loss for the entire kingdom. Many within the walls felt the outcome of the breach, not just those who were residents of Wall Maria. The fall of the one wall was just the start of the fall of the entire kingdom.


	13. The Calm Before the Storm

Life within the walls was getting harder. The devastation had caused a tremendous downturn on everyone. Many people were struggling to survive with what they had. The Survey Corps had made it their duty to find a way to reclaim Wall Maria once again, but as per usual the loss was great for them. Each venture came out with nothing as everyone was beginning to lose hope.

It was Keith's job to assist in structured planning. He reviewed the amount of people and related it to the amount of rations they were able to provide. Thanks to the education he had received through many of his peers through the circus as well as the continuing growth he has had within the walls, Keith was deemed as a fairly intelligent man. It was his duty to maintain the structure within the walls. He along with Nicholas and the commander initiated camps. These camps were designated as refugee camps for farming. All those from Wall Maria were given the direct order to cultivate the lands and maintain it to account for the amount of lost land that was used for farming in Wall Maria. However, their efforts were not showing signs of any improvement between the starvation and the amount of food they were able to bring out from the newly established lands.

On top of the farming problem, there was an increasing rise in crime within the walls. Most of the crime was within the Underground as most people had fled there. Everyone in the Military Police Brigade was wearing themselves out. Although they had received much hate for having the appearance of slacking off, the reality was they were working just as hard as any of the other factions.

Keith returned to his home within Wall Sheena where his wife Robin and son Sebastian were casually going about their normal lives. They had yet to feel the repercussion of the fall of Wall Maria. Robin's sister Alexandria was away assisting in any way that she could with the situation. Keith was exhausted both physically and mentally.

"It's good to see you Keith," Robin quietly said as she was rocking their son. "How are things going?"

"I don't know what we are going to do. The Survey Corps are doing all they can but the results are all the same. Meanwhile even with all the refugees turning forests into farmland, we are still battling this never ending fight."

"There is nothing else?"

"We're turning up with nothing."

"Now this is just a thought and it really isn't my place anymore to discuss the matters but what if you come up with a proposition."

Keith sat up to listen to what she had to say, "What sort of proposition are you talking about?"

"Well, we are in desperate need of reclaiming the Wall for the land because of the amount of population we have. Now what faction is the one always going out into titan territory in effort to expand?"

"That would be the Survey Corps."

"Right, now which faction is also the one that loses the lives of their soldiers the most?"

"Again the Survey Corps."

"Right…so why don't we use the faction as a further advantage."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"Draft the refugees into the Survey Corps. They will be put to good use, and if sacrifices are made then the population will decrease and we will be able to have more sustainability."

"You're talking about sending these inexperienced men and women to their deaths!" Keith shouted abruptly sitting up from the chair. In the process he woke up the baby.

"Shhh, it will alright," Robin whispered trying to calm the baby. "I know but think of what would be good for everyone."

"This is considered to be a mass genocide, I can't go through with it."

"Think about us Keith, your family. How much longer are we going to last at this rate?"

For the next few days Keith thought long and hard over what Robin was suggesting. He knew that at any rate the problem will increase affecting not just those within Wall Rose but Wall Sheena as well. He was already seeing signs of it starting within the capital.

He sat at his desk with a blank sheet of paper in front of him. He kept going back and forth on the idea. Finally a decision was made and he wrote down what he wanted to plan. He presented his proposition to Nicholas. It was a long while before Nicholas had agreed and presented it to their commander. It didn't take long for him to approve of it and set Keith out along with Nicholas to complete the job.

Nicholas and Keith arrived within Wall Rose where most of the refugees were. One by one, many were gathered to a building. Most were older people while a few were close to Keith's age. As he sat at a table before them, he wore nothing but a solemn expression. He regretted what he was about to do as each person was preparing themselves to step before him. The line-up of people consisted mostly of people who were being summoned, while there were a few volunteers. A representative of the Survey Corps stood nearby as they awaited for the procedure to be over. Nicholas was standing on the other side prepared to fit them with a basic uniform. Many were drafted into the Survey Corps. The few who volunteered knew of the situation and were prepared to lay down their lives for the cause.

That night Keith was wide awake once again. He very well knew what he had done to those people. Wondering if he was doing the right thing, he remained in his bed staring at the ceiling feeling hollow.

Three years had gone by since the fall of the wall. Keith had continued his efforts in combating the effects alongside the rest of his squad. With the drafts that had been initiated, improvements within the walls had greatly increased. The sacrifices that were made were for the sake of society.

It was a warm day as Keith and Nicholas were brought to the training camps for new recruits. They had finally reached the point where they no longer needed to draft people to be a soldier. Standing below was the newly announced 104th division. Many of the faces standing there were young, much younger than the soldiers that were present when Keith was going through his training. He watched as they were being lectured and saw the stern faces of a select few people. The look on their faces was something he could relate to.

A meeting was arranged with the following commanders of each of the factions. It was Keith's and Nicholas' job to monitor and listen in. They set themselves along the back wall as they awaited for the others to arrive. The commander of the Garrison was the first to arrive. Behind him were two soldiers one male and one female. They didn't say a word and promptly stood behind their commander. Next the chief instructor of the Cadet Corps made his way into the room. He was the very same man who was lecturing the cadets down below just before. Not far behind him was commander of the Survey Corps followed by one other soldier behind him.

All of the commanders remained seated while all of the respective soldiers were positioned behind their commanders. They all waited in silence for the arrival one more person. Darius Zackly was the last person to arrive, the Commander in chief to all of the military factions within the walls.

"Thank you all for coming here. Now let's quickly get on with this I'm sure you are all busy," came a loud voice.

A well-dressed man came into the room and seated himself at the head of the table. Keith had never before met the man but immediately felt intimidated by his face. It was kind yet stern, a force to be reckoned with. Right away he could tell that this man was confident and the rightful man for the position as the Commander in Chief.

The meeting was to discuss and review any information in regards to the attack that had happened a few years ago. It was then that they would discuss the possibility of another attack. It was determined that the fall of the wall was planned. The titans in questioned, the Colossal and the Armored titans, were reported to have a level of intelligence. This was unheard of according to the Survey Corps and was deemed as a new threat. If there were titans with levels of intelligence that meant that it was only a matter of time before they would attack again. The titans themselves disappeared without a trace and no further evidence could be gathered within the years since the attack.

"Then we need to come up with a strategy," proclaimed Darius.

"Sir, I am all for the idea but how do you suppose we do this and if the strategy is necessary," the Garrison commander stated.

"There is some reasoning behind why this attack was made. There is no evidence to prove or disprove another attack. We need to stay on our toes and be one step ahead if such a circumstance would arise yet again. We can't risk the fall of another wall."

The strategy was set into motion. A trench was dug in front of the gate within the Trost district and cannons were placed all along the perimeter. Everyone was confident and ready for the next attack if necessary. Granted the people were uneasy, but they had faith.

The year was 850 as Nicholas' and Jack's squads were currently stationed in the district of Trost. It was their duty to escort the new recruits that would be joining their faction from the 104th training corps. Like they had done so in the past, they waited and proceeded to patrol the area until night would fall. The sun was shining bright as the thrill of graduation was flowing through all of the new soldiers who were roaming the city on duty.

"What do you expect will come out of the new recruits?" Jack asked Nicholas.

"They all seemed hopeful. There seemed to be enthusiasm and I like that. The kind of enthusiasm Lana had."

"Here you go again, talking about her, would you just let it go!"

"How dare you! HOW DARE YOU TELL ME THAT! Lana was as close to me as my feet are to the ground! She meant everything to me and you have the tenacity to tell me to let it go! How could I let someone like her go?" Nicholas shouted at Jack stopping in his tracks.

"By moving on Nicholas," Keith stated catching both of their attentions. "It's been almost ten years now. When are you going to stop this? Day and night you look for signs of her being out there. You question the Survey Corps reports so often that I have lost count. How much more of this can you take?"

"You don't understand, you never will."

"That's where you're wrong. Lana was dear to my heart and it was shattered that day. There is no recovery from what we did. Even if she were out there alive and well, she had probably moved on from us. To her we were a circus troupe who sent her to her death."

"But we were her friends," Lucas stated placing his hand on Keith's shoulder. "We weren't just a circus troupe, we were there for her when she needed someone the most. Look I miss her just as much as all of you, but Keith is right Nicholas. When are you going to move on?"

Nicholas began storming away from them. Lucas was going to go after him but was stopped by Jack's arm. With a simple shake of his head. They let their Vice-Captain, their ringleader, cool off for now and collect his thoughts together.

Since the time that they had been within the walls, Nicholas had developed an obsession he could not get over. Although on the outside in front of the other soldiers he was a well-respected man who was full of confidence and leadership. On the inside those who grew up with him saw the ugly truth. Nicholas would scan over every single Survey Corps expedition report that would come into the Military Police Brigade. He would order Keith to review it and pick it apart to see if there was any sign that Lana was out there. When that was turning up with nothing, he started adding observation reports from the Garrison stationed alongside Wall Maria. Nicholas studied maps that were drawn up by the Survey Corps and proceeded to come up with many scenarios. It had gotten to the point where he himself had tried to leave and join the Survey Corps to search for her. The obsession was concerning the others as it had started affecting his leadership in the years since he had become the Vice-Captain. Others in the squad were starting to take notice of the behaviour. When they questioned it, Keith only replied with the idea of stress being the cause. He was afraid to tell them of the real reason thinking that it would cause the others to think less of Nicholas. In his mind he still loathed Nicholas, but the relationship between the two had greatly improved since they had become soldiers.

"What are we going to do with him guys?" Keith asked.

"Whatever is going through his head is something he needs to figure out on his own. No matter how hard we try, we will never get through to him," Jack stated.

"Jack's right, let's just focus on our duties. Things may have calmed down a lot but there still is a problem with crimes. Let's just keep our eyes open and hopes that he returns."

Everyone agreed and continued to patrol the area. After Wall Maria had fallen, there was a significant increase in crime. As years went by, things started to return normal. Life within the walls had quietened down but the underlying threat was still present. It was their job to protect the people from the people.

As the three of them wandered the streets they heard glass shattering. They didn't think much of it until they started to hear yelling come from the same direction. As a squad leader, Jack ordered the others to run towards the sound and investigate the situation with him. When they approached the scene, there was a group of men and women who were antagonizing a shop owner.

"You promised to give us the money before the morning. Here we are, the sun is shining and what's this, no money!" yelled a man who appeared to be the leader of the group.

Everyone surrounding the owner had sadistic grins on their faces. A couple of them were giggling in delight knowing what was going to come next for the owner.

"No please, don't hurt me! I'll have your money!"

"That's what you said last week," yelled the man swinging a bat.

Just before the bat was about to hit the man it was caught by a muscular hand. The man was startled at the sight of the perpetrator before him.

"Hitting people is not very nice now is it?" Lucas questioned ripping the bat out of the man's hands.

The others in the group stepped back and prepared themselves for what was going to come. The facial expression of the leader turned from a scared look to a devilish grin.

"It's seven against one and I'm not the only one armed," the man said through his smile as the sounds of guns being cocked could be heard.

His henchmen lifted up various guns and blunt weapons preparing themselves to take down Lucas and flee from the scene.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Keith said through a smile of his own, lifting up a pistol to the head of one of the women. "Now what is a beautiful woman such as yourself doing with a lowlife such as this," he said pressing the gun to her head.

The woman panicked and spun around to fire. Keith stepped and hit her gun in time to cause her to shoot upwards. He twisted her around and managed to restrain her which caused her to drop her gun. Everyone reacted to the shot and proceeded to take action. With Keith's keen eyes he shot his gun aiming for the two who had knives. There was no expression to his face as he was completely focused. The two fell to the ground yelling in pain. As his shots were fired, Lucas jumped out of the way of an enemy shot and pinned down the leader. Right behind Lucas was Jack with a sword drawn as the bullet missed him. Although he was in the Military Police Brigade, Jack still fancied his sword as his weapon of choice. Using his sword he approached the two using the guns. He swung his sword underneath and in between the arms of one of the gunman. This caused the man to lose his grip of his gun as he stepped back to avoid his fate with the blade. With the gun in the air the other gunman pointed his gun at Jack and was prepared to fire. With a gun pointed at the woman he restrained Keith used his free hand to reach down and grab a knife that was sheathed within his jacket. He threw the knife with such precision and strength that it struck the second gunman in the shoulder and hard. The gunman collapsed to the ground dropping his gun in the process. The last person dropped their bat and grabbed one of the guns while unnoticed by the others. In a split second a shot was fired at Jack but was missed. Jack looked back to see what had happened and prepared for another fire. However the woman who made the shot was restrained by a blade at her throat. A second blade was used to angle the gun away from Jack. Everyone relieved to see Nicholas apprehending the woman.

Everyone was restrained and taken into custody. Those who were severally injured were brought in for medical attention. The shop owner explained that he owed them money for gambling. He had lost to the leader which had put him in the spot that he was in. He thanked the four for their actions but was ashamed that the situation happened to begin with.

As they were about to leave the area Keith was approached by a fellow soldier.

"You there, I managed to see the whole thing. You all have incredible skills."

"Gee thanks."

"Don't mention it pal. Hey listen, someone with your skill especially could have other uses."

Keith was concerned about what the other soldier was talking about. In fact it was at that point that he didn't recognize his face at all. He had dark short hair and sharp facial features. There was something about him that was suspicious.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

"Listen, there is somewhat of an exclusive group of people I'm sure you know us. Let me tell you something, how about I have you meet someone. Then you could decide…"

A loud bang could be heard that shook the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Keith shouted.

Keith looked over in the direction that sound came from. A large amount of smoke was forming over the wall. Within that smoke was something that sent chills down Keith's spine. Standing well above the wall was the Colossal Titan. His skinless grin peered over of the wall through the clouds of dust and steam.

"Keith!" Nicholas shouted from behind him snapping him out and getting him to focus. "You and Lucas need to proceed with the evacuation procedure immediately!"

"YES SIR!" Keith yelled in response as he began to take off from the scene. However, he quickly stopped and realized something that he took notice of earlier.

Earlier that morning he remembered being present at recruits of the 104th were being assigned their duties. A small squad was assigned to maintain the artillery on the wall. The same wall that was about to be torn down.

"NICHOLAS!" Keith shouted back as cannons were being hit off the wall. Nicholas was bewildered at Keith as he continued. "There are children on the wall. Recruits of the 104th are up there!"

"This is what we are trained for. If they die there they at least die as soldiers now move!"

Keith was off put by Nicholas' words, but he spoke of the truth. They were trained to take on titans. They were trained to take on an attack such as this. Without any further words, Keith ran to catch up with Lucas. As they were clearing the scene to start the evacuation a loud bang could be heard. Keith turned back to see large boulders being flown towards them.

"Lucas take cover!" Keith shouted.

The two of them braced themselves as large rubble was coming down like rain on them. Parts of buildings were coming down in the process. As the two of them kept running, a giant boulder came crashing down behind them. The sheer force of it hitting the ground was enough to send them flying in the air. Keith fell to the ground hitting his head in the process. His glasses shattered as he tried to maintain consciousness. He looked back in his daze and witnessed the Colossal disappear within the smoke. Although his vision was blurred without his glasses and from the injury to his head he was sure of what he saw.

He could feel something grab him and help him up onto his feet. A small amount of blood was trickling down his face which triggered him to place one hand over the wound. He began to regain his thoughts as Lucas was helping him walk. Keith was conscious enough to pull himself off of Lucas and run alongside him.

"Are you sure you're alright! You took a nasty hit to the head!" Lucas shouted as the two continued to sprint.

"I'm fine," Keith replied wiping the blood from his head. At that point the bleeding had stopped.

"What about your glasses!"

"I can manage," Keith replied tripping in the process from not making out a rock.

He shook his head to shake it off but knew he was going to be unable to continue like this for much longer. He grabbed a hold of his face and focused hard as he ran. He looked up and stared straight ahead. Using what he was able to see, he was capable of maneuvering though the street without further problems.

They met up with others and began to evacuate people from within the Trost District. Nicholas and Jack had caught up with them once informing the others of the plan that was set in place. With the few Military Police Brigade there were, it was their job to maintain order within the chaos. They were directed to proceed over the wall and continue guiding people to a safe house and prepare for a further evacuation if the Armored Titan were to show and break the inner wall. As they were following through with their evacuation orders, those within the 104th were split up into separate squads to assist the Garrison. It was proven that the strategy of the trenches had failed as titans had begun entering the district. The Garrison and the 104th were sent out to attack the titans as the citizens were escaping.

Keith was shouting out directions and remaining calm as people were in a rush to get within the safety of the inner most wall. Lucas was already ahead making preparations in the off chance that the inner wall were to fall as well. He had people starting to gather on the boats and was prepared to send them off to Wall Sheena. Tensions were high as they were trying to minimalize the lives lost this time in comparison to last time.

The amount of people coming through the gate was starting to decline. The more that Keith thought on it, the more he realized that there should have been more. He ran towards the gate to find that it had been blocked. There was yelling on the other side as the entire gate was blocked by a cart. He knew that there was no way that the cart was going to be able to make it through with the heavy load it was carrying. People on the other side were yelling at each other as no progress was being made. Concern fell over him as he was unsure of what to do. That was when the sounds of large footsteps could be hear. He knew right away that those people were sitting ducks in this position. He used his vertical maneuvering device to launch himself over top of the wall. He ran over to the opposite ledge drawing his blades in the process. He was prepared to face the titan head on. However, as he had reached the ledge he realized that someone had beaten him to it.

On the ground was the titan with a teenage girl on top. He figured that the girl had to have been with the 104th division given her appearance of age. She stood on top of the head of the titan and questioned what was going on. He watched in silence as she jumped off of the head and didn't not hesitate to threaten the perpetrator. In fear, the man in charge of the cart removed it from the gate entrance allowing everyone to complete the evacuation.

The girl had a great amount of strength in her. It was proven to Keith after taking down a titan all on her own. He was impressed with her actions and knew that the district was in capable hands. Without any further hesitations, Keith made his way back down and continued on with the last of the evacuation.

Everyone was finally removed from the Trost District allowing Jack to sound the alarm for the retreat of the soldiers. One by one they began to make their way up the wall. However, they returned in few numbers. They manned the cannons and prepared themselves for the worst to come.

The fight continued on for hours until those from the headquarters trapped in the Trost district had finally returned. Keith was relieved to see so many of the 104th finally returning. The girl he saw earlier was carrying an unconscious boy alongside someone who appeared to be a friend.

The captain of the Garrison approached Keith and startled him.

"I want you to restrain that boy right now," he sternly said.

Keith was utterly confused as to what was going on, "Wait, that boy right there. Why, he's unconscious and I can't imagine that he's done anything wrong."

"Just do it!"

"Look sir, with all due respect, I do not take orders from someone else besides by superiors of the Military Police Brigade. If you want that boy restrained you're going to have to do it yourself. I have no reason to restrain him."

"That boy is a titan!"

"Impossible, I can see him from here he looks like a normal human clear as day," Keith replied walking away.

Keith looked back to see the infuriated man as he wondered about the boy. He stopped in revelation of a memory. It was the conversation that he had overheard years ago in regards to the serum. He knew that the serum had to exist if so many people have knowledge of it. He gave up on his search, but with this new found evidence before him he couldn't resist to find out for himself whether or not the serum may actually exist and whether or not this boy fell victim to it.

"Well, I know that shifters really do exist so maybe…" he spoke out loud.

Realizing what he was doing, he quickly shut his mouth and looked around to make sure no one was listening in. Nearby were three 104th soldiers who wore concerned looks on their faces. Keith believed that they had been traumatized by the events that had taken place. He couldn't blame them. It was something that would be hard for anyone to witness. It was even hard on Keith to just think about what they could have seen as he remembered the sights of the troupe being attacked by titans on their way to the walls.

Out of complete curiosity, Keith became a bystander to the show that was about to happen in front of him. He stood in the distance and watched the Garrison Captain and his troops hold their guns up to the unconscious boy. However, the girl and their friend didn't leave his side. Keith was further impressed by their bravery. Whatever was going on was serious and it peaked his interest even further. He could feel the general fear that was within the Captain's voice.

The young boy regained consciousness as the Captain questioned him. He asked him if he was human or if he was a titan, to which the boy responded with him being a human. Keith was beginning to lose slight interest in the interrogation and believed that this was all for nothing. As he began to walk away, he could hear them trying to negotiate.

With his arms behind his head Keith walked away from the scene. However, he didn't make it very far before a loud bang and a flash of light occurred. He tripped over his own feet and braced himself for impact. Once on the ground he turned around and squinted to make out a giant skeletal like creature in the corner where the young cadets were. Surrounding the area were the Garrison soldiers on the ground. The giant creature resembled a titan, but there was something about it that wasn't right. It was almost as if it were partially formed. It was still, but its large arm was raised out to its side. He clenched something within its fist.

"That was quite the fall, are you alright?" came a voice of a man with his hand reached out.

He looked up to see who it was. He was able to recognize the face enough to realize that the person before him was Dot Pixis, the Commander of the Garrison. Keith assured him that he was ok and he was helped up from the ground. He watched as the Commander made his way to his Captain and interrupted the interrogation. Keith remained still and watched as the partial titan began to disintegrate in steam. This was nothing like he had seen before. It was a combination of the titans outside of the wall, and almost the type of titan that Lana was. The build of a titan and yet he maintained the human intelligence. He was unsure of what to believe anymore. Just when he thought he had seen it all, there was another who had a shifting like power. He dropped down to his knees as Dot walked off with the three cadets. Keith was learning more than he had wanted. He just wanted to move on, but he was brought right back. His desire to know more began to rise again. The desire to learn of the serum, to figure out why Madame Nina wanted the serum, to figure out what the Crovus Clan was going to do with the serum, to figure out what Lana had to do with all of it and why Jack was involved. The thought of everything was beginning to hurt his head.

"DAMNIT!" he yelled in frustration.


	14. The Reports and the Trials

A plan was sent in motion between the Garrison soldiers and their commander. The plan was to seal the hole in the wall with a large boulder that had crashed down. With no sign of the Armored Titan they believed that the plan would succeed. However, they were unsure of how to go through with the idea. It was nearly impossible to move the boulder with soldiers alone with titans around let alone without. Then the idea came about of using the young boy with shifting powers. He was unsure of how to control his newfound ability but he was determined to try.

A large group of soldiers stood on the wall and fired at titans with the cannons. With a large amount of people, the titans would be drawn to the certain section of the wall. This enabled the young boy to turn into a titan and move the boulder without any interference. A squad of Garrison soldiers and one elite cadet escorted the shifter to the destination. Everything was going as according to plan. That was until the boy was not behaving properly. He had shifted into a titan, and it was in this form where his personality switched and he began to attack the escort team. The plan was believed to have failed as a friend of the shifter made an attempt to figure out what was going on. After disobeying orders, he went after the group. The friend was successful and the escort team continued on protecting the shifter. In their titan form, they picked up the large boulder and sealed the hole. The district of Trost was saved and would once again be reclaimed.

Keith and Lucas returned to the capital and took the boy into custody. They locked him in a jail cell where he would be detained until his trial under the theory that he was a threat to society. The Survey Corps returned just after the wall was sealed and were enlightened as to what the current situation was. The commander had an interest in the boy and wanted to meet him himself. Keith gave the commander and his captain permission to speak with the boy and ask any questions that they may have the following evening.

There was so much that was unknown about the boy. No one knew where his powers came from, nor did anyone know how he became able to use them. The boy was identified as Eren Yeager, the son of Doctor Grisha Yeager. His father was presumed missing as his mother was killed during the events in Shiganshina. Mikasa Ackerman, a fellow cadet, was considered the closest family member the boy has. Not much else could be said about him other than the fact that he excelled as a soldier.

Keith decided that it was his opportunity to talk with the shifter himself. It was late at night as he approached the cell. Two soldiers were standing before the gate as he peered into the cell. Eren was asleep in the bed, chained up like an animal.

"Both of you are dismissed," Keith ordered.

"But sir, we were told to be stationed here all night!" one of the soldiers proclaimed.

"Who gave you those orders?"

"Squad Leader Jack."

"Disregard his orders I can take watch from here."

The two were hesitant but relieved to be able to leave the area. It was clear that the fact that Eren could turn into a titan was making them uncomfortable. Keith couldn't blame them, he himself was a little intimidated by the sleeping boy that was before him.

"Hey!" he shouted. "Hey, wake up!"

Eren began to move around in his bed. Keith called out once again which caused Eren to finally sit up. He rubbed his eyes in tiredness and gave a yawn.

"Are you alright in there?"

"What?"

"Are…You…Alright?"

"I guess so."

"You're Eren right? Eren Yeager?"

"Yeah," he replied rubbing his face with one hand.

"I have some questions I want to ask, do you mind?"

"Look if it is how I got my titan power I don't know. I've said this before I don't know how I got it. I don't even know where it came from."

"Fair enough. How were you able to control it?"

"I'm not sure, it's like instincts. I knew right away what to do the minute that I figured out I had this power."

"I read in the report that you were pulled out of the neck of the titan you were controlling?"

"Yeah, I guess that's where I go when everything happens."

Keith thought back right away and new that there was no way that Eren was a pure blooded titan. The day he witnessed Eren's partial transformation there was a large bolt of lightning and the structure of the titan began to form. What he was used to was a tornado like structure concealing the shifter until they had fully shifted.

"Have you ever heard of the Corvus Clan?" Keith asked.

"Who?"

"Never mind, forget that I even asked."

That was a moment of slight relief for him. He knew that if anyone else from the Crovus Clan were to find out about the existence of Eren, then they would surely be after him to gain power. That's all they ever wanted, to become more powerful and a force that would be unstoppable.

"Hear me out, if Jack Adder a squad leader of the M.P's comes down to talk to you, I want you to conceal any information about you that you can."

"Why?" Eren was highly confused.

"Look, I'm going to be honest with you. Things right now may seem scary, you may feel like you're alone," He began to say as he reached down into his pocket. He pulled out the key to the cell and proceeded to open the door. He reached over and grabbed a glass and filled it with a pitcher of water that was nearby. "But you aren't alone Eren. Right now there are those who are scared of you and don't trust you because they are afraid of what you might do to them. But I am not one of those people," he continued walking into the room. "You can consider me a friend, an ally, whatever you wish. I want to make sure that you are safe and well no matter what." He handed the glass of water to Eren.

Eren was unsure of what to make of what Keith was saying to him. He grabbed the water and began to drink it. Being in the cell was making him rather thirsty and the simple gesture was enough to trust Keith. "Why? Why are you like this to me?"

Keith walked out of the room with the empty glass and closed the door behind him. With the key in his hand, he locked the door and gazed back at Eren. "Because you and I are more alike than you think. And you may very well be the key to the future that lies ahead."

Nicholas and Keith were witnesses to the trial alongside their commander. They waited in the room alongside other citizens and soldiers. The trial consisted of two arguments. One side was the Military police Brigade who wanted to get rid of Eren and everything that he was. The other was the Survey Corps who wanted to utilize that potential opportunity that was before them. Keith was in favor of the Survey Corps. With someone like Eren he was sure that he was the by-product of the serum that he had been looking in to. This boy was living proof of what the serum could do. He only wanted to be sure that this was the truth and in order to find that out he needed the boy alive.

Before the trial started, Nicholas began discussing the events that had happened a few days ago.

"Many of the Garrison perished," Nicholas stated.

"I am well aware of that," Keith replied keeping his face forward.

"Many cadets did as well."

"Yup."

"So…"

"Look can we just talk about something else?"

"Traumatized?"

"Not in the slightest," Keith replied with a straight face.

"Good I'm glad to hear that." Nicholas paused for a minute before continuing. "So what did the boy have to say?"

Realizing the situation he was in he assumed that the soldiers he had dismissed had reported themselves in. Keith very well knew that he was going to be in some sort of trouble.

"Nothing," he replied.

"I figured as much."

Slightly relieved, he watched as the young Eren was being dragged into the court room. The trial was ready to take place. Each side said their argument and it was up to the Commander-in-Chief to decide the fate of Eren Yeager. Keith was on the edge of his seats and the M.P's and those in the Wallist cult were screaming that it would be more beneficial for everyone if he were dead.

The Wallists are a group of individuals who worship the walls and what they are. They are a semi secretive organization that seem to be convinced that their fate rest solely on the walls.

As Eren pleaded to those in the court that he is on their side, the side of humanity those began to grow scared and concerned. His lashing out had caused the captain of the Survey Corps to leap over the rail and take action. He kicked Eren across the face and continued to beat the literal sense into him. The entire room fell silent at what they were witnessing, however a point was being made.

It was proven to the court that they were very well capable of handling Eren Yeager if such a reason to arises. They agreed that they would care for Eren and take action if necessary if he gets out of hand. After witnessing the actions of the captain, the Commander-in-chief made his judgment. Eren would be placed in the hands of the Survey Corps. He was ordered to be sent out on their expedition to prove his worth to the cause. If he were to fail he was to be taken back into custody and his future would be discussed.

With a sense of relief, Keith was glad to know that Eren would be safe. He wanted to thank the captain for what he had done as he was ordered to escort Eren out of the room. As he approached the Survey Corps had a cold shoulder towards him.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you but I want to thank you," he said to the captain.

"I was only doing what had to be done." He replied with a cold stare.

Keith looked at the captain and felt very intimidated by his presence. The captain was slightly shorter than he was but the look in his eyes was what sent chills down his spine.

"The boy is special, there is no doubt about it. I feel that he is going to be the key for all of us," The Commander proclaimed as they began to make their way out.

Keith helped Eren up from the ground once the shackles were removed. He guided him to the room where the Survey Corps officials were waiting for him. From that point on Keith was entrusting his safety in their hands. He wanted to be sure that there was no way that Eren was going to be placed under the hands of those who were against all that he believes in.

A few days later, Keith was in his office reviewing his paperwork. A few soldiers came in to turn in reports for him to look over. They were the reports in regards to the after math that was the Trost District. Once the papers were handed in to him a couple of the soldier began summarizing the report.

"In total there were approximately one hundred men and women dead who were soldiers. Thankfully no other bodies were found, just soldiers."

"Do you have an approximation on the average faction?" Keith asked.

"Most of them were Garrison soldiers the rest were cadets," replied another soldier.

"How many of those were you able to identify and find records of?"

"As many as we could sir. There were few who were still somewhat intact. Others were so torn apart that we were unable to determine who they were upon visual inspection. Bodies we could not identify were traced back to those who were recorded as missing in action through our roll call in each faction. Then again it was still hard to confirm and give definite numbers."

"Excellent work. Your next orders from the Commander is to follow through with the next step of the reform process. You are required to watch over the rebuilding and general maintenance of Trost to ensure that all goes well."

"Very well sir," the soldier replied. They all started to leave the room but the one soldier remained. She stood before the desk and was preparing the words she was about to speak. "Sir, if I may."

Keith looked up from the reports ready to listen.

"With all due respect, but why do we report in to you. Why not the commander or the captain. Why not even the vice-captain?"

Keith leaned back in his chair. He knew that this day was going to come to him at some point. After cracking his neck he leaned forward and placed his hands together on the desk.

"That's a question that I have been asking myself since I've been put into this position. The Commander is usually busy dealing with matters around the King alongside the Captain with the first division squad. The Vice-Captain is pretty much a role that they made up that made one squad leader more important than the others. The Vice-Captain's job is maintain order within the barracks as the Commander and Captain maintain order over the entire capital and the walls. That's a lot of people to deal with, so the Commander wanted the responsibility to be split between people he deemed trust worthy. That's how my job was created. Since I'm under Nicholas it became my responsibility to review all of the reports. I then distribute them accordingly between the three of them with the Commander receiving the prioritized ones. I literally became the secretary of the Military Police Brigade and I hate it. Was there anything else?"

The soldier was off put by the response. Keith was able to tell how uncomfortable he had made them. But he had to say what he needed. He was getting frustrated with the position he was in. He felt like nothing much other than a desk jockey for the Military Police Brigade. It was something he did not imagine himself ever becoming when he was training. He expected more action like when he had first joined.

Years ago when he was in the squad with his now current wife as his leader, there was lots of things for him to do. He would often patrol, guard, make appearances in events, and more. He was often sent to different towns and able to see the variety of people that lived within the walls.

Now that Robin had left and people had been switched around, Keith was placed under the direct leadership of Nicholas. He didn't mind it as much as he had when he first was under his direction. The little things were beginning to get on his nerves once again. Things between the two of them had greatly improved, but Keith still despised Nicholas' arrogant behaviour. The minute that Nicholas became the Vice-Captain of the brigade, he had made himself to be better than anyone else.

Things started changing further when Nicholas had learned about Eren. Since the discovery, Nicholas had kept himself in his office for hours on end. He would not speak to anyone and locked the door. He was only out of his office when he was under orders from the Captain or Commander. The behaviour was growing oddly strange.

"Sir…"

Keith raised his hand, "It's just Keith nothing more nothing less."

"That's the thing though. If you are the one we report to and the one who gives us orders, why are you not in any position of direct authority?"

"She has a point you know. I mean you are well recognized among most of us within the M.P's it's only right that you are least a squad leader."

"Relax would you? I do believe that they are giving me more work than what I am really cut out for but, someone has to do the job. The others are all gallivanting about, it's only right that they assign someone to be a secretary."

"I guess you have a point," one of the soldiers replied.

The soldiers were beginning to leave the room once more, but Keith stopped two of them. He pulled them back into his office and closed the door behind him.

"I want you guys to keep a secret. Can you trust me?"

The two soldiers looked at each other with a great amount of uncertainty. They had faith in Keith and nodded.

"I want to find more about Eren Yeager and his family. Anything at all. I want you both to go to the darker side of our faction and see if there is any relation to that boy and the higher ups. I want you two to dig up the information. Do you think that you can handle that?"

"I think so," replied on of the soldiers.

"Great, now remember this has to be kept away from everyone. Do I make myself clear?"

"Why though?"

"Let's just say there may be some people within the brigade that I may once had placed a great amount of trust in. That trust is starting to waiver drastically and I want to get to the bottom of things before they do. I have a feeling that there are things going on that we are not being told."

The two soldiers were even more concerned than they were earlier. However, they both were in compliance with Keith. They left without any further words with one another and set out on the orders that were given to him.

Although Keith didn't want to admit it, things within his happy family were not the same as they had used to be. Keith walked back to his desk and opened a drawer. He pulled out a photograph that he had kept from Rhea. The picture was of Keith and the others when they had all become top tier members of the circus. He remembered how much he hated Nicholas back then for stealing Lana away from him. However, Keith was completely over the matter now and even laughed at the mere thought of it.

The image saddened Keith in a way. Everyone was smiling in the photo and yet there was so much going on around them that they were all completely unaware of at that time. He wished things could go back to the way they were back on Rhea. He missed those memories that he held on to. However things were different for him now. The once mother figure that was in his life was now something different. She was keeping secrets from all of them, sinister secrets. She was making deals alongside Neal Sidonia with the Crovus Clan. When the deals fell through was when things started getting way out of hand for them. Nicholas was growing more arrogant with his sense of superiority with the others when Lana came into the picture. He knew that by having her by his side and becoming the new ringleader, he would be a monster of pure superiority behaviour. Jack was always a quiet and stern one. He kept to himself no matter what and that personality continued when they came to the walls. However what was underneath was just as bad as Madame Nina. He was keeping things from everyone. Keith believed that if Jack were to one day snap, he would kill them all, it seemed like something he would do. Lucas was the only one out of all of them that was there for everyone. He wanted to make sure that the well-being of everyone was maintained. He was the big brother to the whole troupe there whenever you needed him. Lucas was the only one that Keith had his full trust in. When they all arrived within the walls their family started falling apart. Although relationships were somewhat repaired, things were not the same. The circus was no longer in full motion and attitudes were changing.

Madame Nina stopped talking to the boys as much as she had used to. None of them really minded too much, they were grown up and that's how they saw it. Nicholas become more of a hot head, he was easy to anger especially in light of recent events. Jack was often hard to come by, he was hardly around and claimed to always be working on some sort of mission. Out of all of them he was the one who frequently went back home to Madame Nina. Lucas on the other hand was still there for everyone. He started to become the head cook for the brigade and was always there with a smile on his face when things seemed to be at their lowest. Keith had also changed. When he was much younger he was a spiteful hellfire who wanted nothing to do with any of the circus members. With some help he grew on to them and become a carefree active boy. When Lana came into the picture things changed, he was protective of her for who she was and what she reminded him of. He had deep feelings for her that he knew she wouldn't reciprocate. After he had moved on he was more focused and determined. He wanted nothing more than to expose the truth behind the secrets that were revolving around him. By revealing truth and clearing the air, he would feel more safe and less on edge about everything. With his family to protect, it wouldn't be just his life but their lives that would be affected if anything were to happen.

Not long after Keith had sent out the two soldiers on a mission, he was ordered to welcome the new recruits. Lucas was ordered to escort the only recruit from the southern camp as Nicholas and Jack had escorted the few recruits from the northern camp. He awaited for the arrival of the new recruits with their new jackets as the carriage pulled up. He introduced himself as they all did the same. He didn't expect much out of them, they were all well determined soldiers. There was one out of the group that stuck out a little more than the others. She had an attitude unlike the others. Her positioning was proper, her head was forward and back was straight. She was athletic and seemed to be experienced. It was the expression on her face that caught interest in Keith.

"You said your name was Annie, right?" Keith approached her.

"Yes sir," she replied.

"Don't bother calling me sir. I don't care much for formalities. Besides, I'm merely a secretary of the brigade. Just Keith is fine. What brings you to the brigade Annie?"

"I wanted to live within the interior of the walls."

He gazed upon her and watched the others. He could feel something about her. It was something he had felt before, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. He wasn't sure if it was the look in her eyes, or the tone of her voice, but there was something about her that seemed familiar.

"Welcome to the Military Police Brigade Annie. I can tell that you and I are going to get along very well. And as for the rest of you, I want to extend my welcome. If you have any questions or are in need of any assistance, the door to my office will always be open. Now let's get you out of those cadet jackets and make things official."

He escorted the group to their arranged dorms and made sure that they were able to settle in nicely. Keith looked forward to the new group that he was going to be dealing with. There was disappointment knowing that he was not going to be training them on procedures, but he was at least thankful to be able to welcome them at least.

When he though more on Annie, Keith finally began to realize what he was feeling. The facial expression was something he recognized. She had a lot going on in her mind, she was uneasy and nervous almost. He started putting things together believing that she was just trying to play off a cool exterior to hide what she was feeling inside. Little did she know; Keith had read her like an open book. Keith remembered playing the part very well. On a day to day basis, he still tries to keep the role going. He is afraid that one day he would slip up. There had been some close calls in the past but he was able to keep his deepest secret from everyone. The fear in his eyes grew exponentially over the last few years, for the safety of himself as well as the safety of his family could be jeopardized.

A couple days had gone by as the soldiers had returned with what they were able to find in regards to Eren Yeager's family and the secrets of the brigade. They made sure that no one was around to possibly overhear their conversation. Keith was eagerly awaiting to hear what they had.

"We first wanted to look at Eren Yeager. Everything seems to check out. He is the son of Doctor Grisha Yeager and Carla Yeager. He was born within the Shiganshina District where he grew up there. There was one very interesting report we came across in regards to the boy though."

Keith immediately perked up as he was eager to hear what they had to say.

"There was an incident out at a cabin. Three dead bodies were found with two children inside. One of the children being Eren Yeager while the other was Mikasa Ackerman. It was reported that the three men had kidnapped Miss. Ackerman in the hopes of selling her. Doctor Yeager was scheduled to visit the Ackerman household alongside his son Eren. Upon their arrival they had discovered that both Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman were murdered. Doctor Yeager had sent word for the Military Police Brigade at that point. Eren on the other hand took off in search of their daughter Mikasa. When he found her in the cabin, he killed two of the perpetrators as Mikasa had killed the other one. The charges were all dropped as the claims were for self-defence."

"You're kidding. Two kids killed three men?" Keith proclaimed not expected to hear something as incredible as this.

"That's what we thought. These kids have got some issues. And get this. Mikasa Ackerman was taken in by the Yeager family. She grew up within their house. Both she and Eren joined the Training Corps as cadets when they became of age. Mikasa was ranked first out of all cadets. She excelled in literally everything truly a worthy asset for any of the factions. She even proved herself worthy during the Battle of Trost."

"Is that what we're calling it now?" Keith said with some amusement.

"Anyways, the girl is strong there is no doubt about it. It's a shame that we lost her to the Survey Corps."

"Hey wait a minute," the other soldier interrupted, "I wonder if she had any relation to Levi Ackerman."

"The captain of the Survey Corps?" Keith asked.

"Yeah, I mean they are both skilled soldiers and they both bear the last name Ackerman. I mean there has got to be something right? Maybe that's why she joined?"

"Who knows? Anyways, what about Eren Yeager. What was he like as a cadet?" Keith allowed the soldier to continue.

"Eren Yeager was also considered to be a skilled soldier. He ranked fifth among the cadets. He was well recognized for his combat training and was even able to use a busted harness to keep him upright."

"That's hard?" Keith commented with a bit of sarcasm.

"This coming from the guy who grew up in a circus. Anyways, the guy has natural talent."

"So nothing on how he may have gotten his powers or anything?" with frustration in his voice, Keith placed his head in his hands.

"No, there were no signs or anything. We've searched through everything we could get our hands on. But there is more information we'd like to share in regards to the Yeager family."

"The mother, Carla Yeager, was a simple waitress in a bar before she married Doctor Yeager. She lived within the Shiganshina district, never caused any problems or anything. It was recorded that she become deathly ill, that was until the Doctor had cured her," the second soldier began to speak.

"But she was deathly ill how did he cure her?"

"No one is really sure. But Doctor Yeager's medical knowledge seemed have been well more advanced than any of the other doctors within the walls. It's kind of crazy, the man became fairly well known. Even I remember getting treated by him before."

"Interesting."

"No, this is where it gets interesting. Doctor Grisha Yeager is a well know doctor within the walls. He lived in the Shiganshina district, but when we dug a little deeper we found nothing from his childhood. Carla we at least had school records and her birth certificate. Grisha had nothing. We couldn't find a single document until he became a doctor. It's like the man wasn't from within the walls."

Keith sat in silence. He thought of the possibilities of others being outsiders. It would explain how he was capable of curing a deadly disease with no problems. With his chin in his hand he though harder on the matter. Keith and the others created forged documents to give themselves a sense of identity within the walls in case their past was dug into a little. Grisha just may have been lucky enough to get by without needing anything. Then he thought of other excuses as to why he wouldn't have documents such as a fire or theft.

"Carla was declared dead after it was found that she had been devoured by a titan during the fall of Wall Maria. Doctor Grisha was reported missing and nowhere to be found after the events."

"Seriously," Keith shot up in shock.

Keith was wondering how a father could leave his child behind. He very well knew that situation that was taking place, he needed to be there for his child. Keith couldn't understand why Grisha would just disappear without a trace. He wondered if maybe he retreated beyond the walls, if it were possible.

"What about information in regards to the brigade?" Keith asked.

"That's the thing sir, we weren't able to uncover much at all. We tried our best."

"However we did take witness to something rather unusual. Squad Leader Jack was with a member I recognized as part of the elite squad. You know how rare it is to see any of them around our offices."

"The two of them were discussing and it almost sounded like they were arguing with one another. They were talking about some sort of medication I think. I'm not too sure. It did sound like it was in Jack's possession and it was stolen from him."

"Is that all you were able to locate?" he asked as he sat back down in his chair.

"Yes that was everything. I'm sure there might be something we're missing, but nothing to detrimental I believe," one of the soldiers proclaimed.

"Very well, leave any documents you have with me and I will properly take care of them from here. Thank you both, I appreciate all of the work you have done for me."

"Wait, isn't today the day that the Survey Corps head out on their mission?"

"You're right. Soon we'll know the future for Eren Yeager and I hope for everyone's sake that it's a good one."

The two soldiers were dismissed from his office, as Keith was able to reflect on the information he was given. The idea that Grisha Yeager was an outsider was not as farfetched as it may have seem. It was the idea that he was able to retreat the walls that was unbelievable. Keith was convinced that Grisha was somewhere within the walls. There was a reason he was hiding and Keith wanted to know why.

"I wonder if the doctor knows something about the serum like Caroline," he began to say out loud. "I wonder if he is partnered with those men that Jack's involved with. Or maybe he was a shifter himself. Maybe that's why the boy is able to shift, from his father. And Jack, what the hell is he up to. He must have had the serum but to have it stolen from him and by who. Things are getting more interesting that's for sure. Where are you Grisha and what are you hiding?"

The Survey Corps returned from their expedition earlier than anticipated. The report was turned into Keith as he regretted the decisions he was about to make. The early arrival was an immediate indication that things failed. The fate of Eren Yeager was to be determined once again by means of the court.

In the report, the expedition had started out as per usual. They were following normal procedures and attempted to avoid any titans that they could. There was one titan in the end that ruined the entire expedition. The titan was abnormal but unlike others that they had faced before. There was a level of intelligence behind their movements. The concern was high as this particular titan was classified as being on the same level as the Armored Titan and the Colossal Titan. There was real fear as Keith continued reading the report. With the possibility of people turning into titans, it was believed that the three titans in question were shifters themselves.

Within the reports it was classified that the titan resembled a female and someone who was well aware of how things worked within the military. This suggested that the shifter themselves could have very well been a traitor. It was determined that she was after Eren and assumed that she was after him because of his powers. Eren was placed under the protection of the elite squad led by Levi Ackerman.

Commander Erwin Smith had a plan set in motion. He knew of the situation and was prepared to strike. His high intellect enabled him to foresee the potential target that Eren would be. He wanted to utilize this to capture one of the shifters and bring them in. They intended to trap the proclaimed Female Titan and pull her out. However, their plan failed after she was able to summon titans into a forest where she was trapped. The titans began consuming her allowing her to escape within the steam that had formed around the decaying body. The Survey Corps did all they could to try and capture her but lost sight. It was declared that she was using vertical maneuvering gear which further proved that she was a soldier.

She was able to turn back into a titan after locating the elite squad. Once in her form, the entire squad was wiped out leaving Eren alone. He turned into a titan in defence which lead to his capture. Levi and Mikasa were able to catch up to the Female Titan and attack her enough to rescue Eren from her mouth. It was decided to retreat back to the walls once more.

Eren had shifted without orders from the Commander and his further actions resulted in his capture. The consequences of this would decide his fate within the court room. Keith was not thrilled to be there at trial. He was unsure of how things would play out but he knew that things did not look good for Eren.

Keith had decided to see what the possible plan of action given the results of the expedition. His best option was to refer to Nicholas first before asking the Commander directly. As he made his way to Nicholas' office all seemed too quiet. He approached the door and slightly gave it a tap before entering. There was no response. Things began to run through his mind which was giving him a great deal of concern. He tried to open the door but found that it was locked. After looking around, he wanted to be sure that he wasn't catching any unwanted attention. He proceeded to reach the cuff of his sleeve where he kept a small tension wrench and pick hidden in a sewn pocket that he made. He may have been a soldier now, but skills and habits he had developed in the past will always stick with him.

He placed the tools within the lock of the door and carefully maneuvered them within the lock. Once he had figured it out he was capable of unlocking the door. It didn't take him long as he swiftly placed the tools back in his sleeve and slowly make his way inside.

The first step in, Keith could hear the rustling of papers. He looked down to see pages littering the floor. It was almost as if the floor was made out of papers. The feeling of concern overcame him once the door was closed as he failed to realize the sleeping Nicholas on the desk. He reached down and picked up one of the papers. On it read:

Lana = Eren Yeager?

Keith picked up a few more pieces and started to put the pieces together. It had appeared that Nicholas was trying to make sense of Eren's powers and how they could relate to Lana. All of the papers on the ground had some sort of note on it referencing the idea that Lana was still alive.

Keith looked up and realized that it wasn't just the floor, it was the entire room. Pages were posted on the wall, the furniture was littered with notes. In the pile of work was Nicholas drooling all over his notes on the desk. Keith cleared his throat causing Nicholas to spring up from his desk. A piece of paper stuck to his face where the drool was.

"Hey Nick, what is all of this?" Keith asked.

"It's none of your damn business," Nicholas was quick to snap back at him.

"Easy, I was only asking."

"Breaking into a superior's office is in violation to the code of conduct. I should write you up for doing that. I thought you would've broken the habit once you joined."

"Look Nicholas, I was worried when you didn't respond. I'm not the only one who is worried either, you're entire squad is concerned over the way you have been acting lately," Keith walked in further as he was gazing upon the vast amount of papers scattered everywhere.

"Why should you care?!"

"Because I'm…I'm your brother aren't I?"

Nicholas sharply looked away and sneered.

"Nicholas, this has to stop. All of this has to stop," Keith stated gesturing to the papers.

"She is still out there Keith and I swear on my life that I will find her!" Nicholas shouted standing up from his chair.

"Don't you understand that she probably never wants to speak to any of us anymore? How many times must I say this! How many times will we go through the same argument before it finally goes through that thick headed skull of yours," Keith wasn't hesitant to shout back as he got right into Nicholas' face.

"I loved Lana more than anyone of you! She was everything to me!"

"You weren't the only one who loved her! I loved her! She never reflected the feelings back but damnit, I still cared for her! When I realized that things would never happen she became like a sister to me! You weren't the only one who was close to her, we all were. She mattered to all of us because she was family. Now why can we all move on while you wither away in your obsession with someone who you will never speak to again?"

"You will never understand," Nicholas shouted grabbing a hold of Keith's collar.

"Yes I do!" Keith shouted doing the same.

"I will never let her go! I will find her!"

Keith slammed Nicholas up against the wall with all of his might.

"Snap out of it Nicholas! You have to move on! You need to forget about the past. It's the least you can do. Do you think she would even want to see you like this! Think about it Nicholas! For your own sake just fucking move on with your life before the past destroys you on this path you've set yourself on!"

Nicholas let go of Keith's collar and stormed out of the room. Keith was left alone in the insanity that was Nicholas. He realized that there may be no hope for him. Nicholas' mental state had started to deteriorate over the last ten years. At first nobody was able to notice what was going on, but now the instability of his mind had started to affect others around him. Keith was uncertain of what would become of Nicholas, but he was sure that he was going to need help in order to pull Nicholas back together again. It wasn't just for the sake of the squad and the family, but it was mostly for the sake of Nicholas himself. He was unwell, and even though Keith didn't want to care about it, he couldn't just stand by and let someone he considers an arrogant brother just fall apart into madness.

The day Eren's trial came as word had approached Keith of their arrival. The newer Military Police Brigade recruits were ordered to be the Survey Corps escorts. They didn't want Eren to shift while on the way to the trial and wanted to use the vertical maneuvering gear as an extra precaution. Usage of the gear had become unnecessary for the M.P's years ago and only brought out when threats of titans were high. In this case those lucky enough were able to wear their gear in the chance that the Survey Corps would disobey their orders and protect the boy.

Things seemed to be going well as the Survey Corps had arrived into town. Keith prepared himself for the trial that he would be a part in. He wore is formal black Military Police jacket and was ready to face the worst outcome. He did not want Eren to perish because of his powers. He knew how hard something like this must be on the young boy and he knew that Eren was the closest thing he had to finding out any sort of truth.

Keith sat among the others within the bleachers as they awaited the arrival of Eren and the rest of the Survey Corps. They waited and waited, until things started not feeling right. Keith began to notice that they had not arrived at the appropriate time and began to grow concerned.

"Do we have any status report on their whereabouts? They should have been here by now," Keith proclaimed.

"No I haven't heard of anything yet. But we have to put our trust in the Commander. He knows what to do and I'm sure that everything will be fine."

A loud bang could be heard in the distance. It was enough to shake the entire building.

"What on earth was that?" one of the others shouted.

Keith quickly got up from his seat and ran to the nearest window. Not far away from them was a cloud of what appeared to be smoke. His first thought was an explosion. Once the smoke cleared, his thoughts changed. Standing in the distance was a titan, but not just any titan, it was a titan shifter.

"Nicholas, you better come see this."

Nicholas ran to check it out for himself. The two of them recognized the titan as the one that they had read in the reports from the Survey Corps.

"This can't be good," Nicholas stated. "All hands we are under attack! Get to your gear immediately and make your way towards the center of town. There we can regroup with the Commander and figure out a plan of action!"

Everyone made their way out of the court house and headed for their gear. Keith threw his jacket to the ground and sprinted as hard as he could. At that point he had completely disregarded Eren from his mind. All that he could think of was his family and their safety.

With their gear on, they made their way towards the center of town. Nicholas spotted the Commander and ordered the others to head in the direction with him. Once they had regrouped with the Commander they began asking how they should proceed. Standing with the Commander and a few others where Commander Erwin of the Survey Corps and his Captain Levi. There was another young man standing with them chained up in front of the carriage.

"Sir, Squad Two reporting in," Nicholas stated as he approached their Commander.

"Stand down soldier, this is beyond us right now."

"But sir I don't understand."

"There is belief that, that thing out there is one of our own. This was all part of their plan," he gestured to the Survey Corps.

"If I may intervene, what is become of the Yeager boy?" Keith asked.

"He is all part of the plan as well. They want him to take down that titan using his own abilities. They are under the impression that there is a traitor among our ranks."

"We believe that the shifter is Annie Leonhart, a member of the 104th division," Commander Erwin stated.

"Her?" Keith questioned him.

"You know of her," Levi replied.

"Yes, I was the one who helped her settle in. But what makes you think she is the one?"

"We have evidence that supports it," Commander Erwin said sternly.

"What kind of evidence! She is just a young girl how can you…"

"That's enough soldier," came the growl of his commander.

Keith immediately backed off and was silent. He wanted to believe that the young girl that he had met had nothing to do with all of this. However, he thought back to the day that he met her. The look in her eyes were cold. She wanted nothing to do with people. She never really got along with anyone in her group and kept to herself. She was a mystery that Keith never really noticed.

"Evacuate anyone within the area and get them all to safety, that's an order."

Keith was snapped out of his thoughts and followed the rest of his squad. It was their job to ensure the safety of those who lived within the walls. They soared through the air and began to make their way through the streets. Many knocked on doors and brought people out of their homes. Crowds were running to safety as fast as they could before the titans could reach them.

At this time Keith could see two titans fighting each other. One was the Female Titan from the report and the other was Eren Yeager. He stood up on a rooftop and watched the two of them battle. It was a battle of beasts. He was mesmerized by them as the two were attacking each other. His attention was redirected as a Survey Corps soldier landed right next to him.

"Funny, I never expected to see you here," came a familiar voice.

Keith turned to face the soldier and came to realize that it was Al from his training days.

"AL!" Keith shouted with joy.

"Geez, they still have you wearing your glasses normally? That just shows how often you guys use your devices."

"Not exactly the kind of reunion I was hoping but I'm glad to see you too?"

"Here," Al reached into a small bag at his side and pulled out a strap. He pulled Keith's glasses right from his face and attached the strap to them.

"These will make it so your glasses will stay on better and will be less likely to fall off," he stated handing them back to Keith.

He was grateful and somewhat relieved. He remembered what happened the last time he was in an emergency and couldn't see very well.

"Thanks, hey wanna tell me what the hell is going on here?"

"I'd love to but, it looks like we don't have much time. It looks like she is heading towards the wall. Probably as a mean to escape. I'll have to catch up with you another time I promise!"

As quickly as he had arrived, Al was gone. Keith stammered and made up his mind. He followed after him to try and figure out some more sense on the matter. He watched as the Female Titan began to climb up the wall to make her escape. It wasn't long before she came crashing down. He couldn't tell how but he was somewhat relieved. If this titan shifter was in fact who the Survey Corps claims it is, then he was sure that they needed to be brought under custody of the Military Police Brigade for questioning.

Before he was able to reach the scene, he could hear people calling out for help. With some annoyance, he decided to disregard the titans and make his way to the yelling. It wasn't long after that, that things began to settle. He had helped the people in need by giving them quick medical treatment. When he was finished, Nicholas had found him and asked him to report back to the Commander.

Eren's name was cleared and Annie Leonhart was declared a traitor. It was confirmed that she was the Female Titan after she had been pulled out of the neck of the titan she was in. When asked if she would be questioned it was stated that they were unable to do anything of the sort. Annie had used her abilities in a state of panic and confined herself within a crystal structure. The structure was unbreakable and therefore caused Annie to be untouchable. They decided to hold her captive underground where she would be kept out of sight from the citizens and prevent her from shifting if she were to ever break out. Studies would be conducted on whether or not it would be possible to break her out.

With the news of a traitor being among the Military Police Brigade, some of the soldiers began to grow uneasy. They began to feel even worse after they had received news of a new kind of titan being discovered at the same time. As Annie had tried to climb the wall in her titan form, a large chunk of debris had fallen. The missing rock had revealed a chilling face behind the wall. It was a face of a titan. It seemed that the only person who was made aware of the situation was Minister Nick of the Wallist cult. He knew that the titan should be covered and seemed to let on more than he would like. He was taken into the custody of the Survey Corps with the permission of the Military Police Brigade.

Keith felt disgusted and concerned at the same time. He let a traitor join within their ranks and he wondered if there were other traitors among them. He knew of the Armored Titan and the Colossal Titan being shifters. He wondered if it was possible that they were soldiers among them. He wanted to know what their motives were. Nothing made any sense to him no matter how he looked at it. On top of that he had a traitor of his own that he needed to deal with.


	15. A Blast from the Past

Everyone was ecstatic to have Lana back in their lives once more. However, things were different now. They had all grown up and lived different lives from what they had used to before. It was going to be hard for them all to reconnect the ties that they had lost with each other. Time had gone by and it was hard to fix the crack that was within the glass.

Keith was given time off and was able to return home to his family. He was more than excited to inform Robin about the news. When he arrived to his happy home he was greeted by his loving wife and their new found furry family member. He picked the dog up with joy as he was welcomed inside.

"Robin you would not believe what had happened the other day. It's almost like a miracle."

Robin sat down at the table with a cup of tea in her hand. She waited to hear what he had to say with a small smile on her face. Time was starting to show on her face as her eyes glistened in the sunlight. Keith stared at his beautiful wife as he was thankful for everything that they shared together.

"We have found Lana. She finally appeared."

Shock came over her blissful face as she nearly dropped the cup in her hands. Her glistening eyes changed to a form of sorrow.

"It turns out she was with the Survey Corps. I haven't received the full report on the matter but she is alive! Isn't that great!"

"Yeah, it is," she replied quietly.

"You don't sound happy at all. What's wrong," Keith asked as he gently sat down beside her.

"Are you going to go back to her?"

Keith was stunned by her statement. Never had it crossed his mind since her return and never did it occur to him that this was how she felt about Lana. He grabbed a hold of her hand and firmly held onto it.

"I love you no matter what. I will always be with you. What happened in the past is in the past. My future is with you."

A small tear rolled down her cheek as the door opened. A young boy came in with a smile on his face covered in dirt.

"DAD!" the boy shouted with excitement. "Guess what! The guys and I are going to join the Training Corps when we're old enough."

"You don't say," Keith replied slightly impressed. "Well do you know what faction you'd want to be in?"

"The Survey Corps!"

"Well you're only five so you have a few years to wait until you can do that."

Meanwhile Nicholas was in his office pacing back and forth. He was trying to figure out why Lana was with the Survey Corps. Lucas was in the room with him as someone to bounce ideas back and forth with. It was enough for Lucas to go mad with Nicholas' obsession. He kept going on and on about how he wanted to be closer to her.

"I don't understand why would she be in the Survey Corps?"

"Probably because they were the ones who found her," Lucas replied as he opened up the window to let the fresh air in.

"Yeah, but why is she with them still. I mean she knows we are here. Why didn't she just stay within the capital? Why did she leave with them?"

"The mind is a complex thing. She has her reasons. Look she probably moved on just like we have. We are living in two different worlds."

"DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!" Nicholas shouted slamming his hands on his desk.

Lucas was worried for the bomb that was about to explode in the office. He didn't know what to expect to come from Nicholas and it scared him. Nicholas was a very passionate person about everything. When things didn't go right, he was sure to make a big deal about it. It was in his blood, the blood of someone who was used to the spotlight. When that light was diminished he began to get lost in the shadows.

"Think of it this way, even if she wanted to there is no way she would just hop on over to the Military Police Brigade. If anything she would have to get a referral first."

"That's it!" Nicholas perked up. "You're a genius! All I have to do is send off a letter and then she and I can be together closer than ever before. Lana and I working side by side. I'll have her in my squad and everything. Especially now more than ever since I need people in my squad after the two of you leave. But it's not going to be that simple. First I have to make sure that she would be willing to join us without any problem."

Lucas was very off put by Nicholas' behaviour. He watched him as he was flipping through papers trying to compose of ways for her to want to be part of the brigade.

Nicholas had devised up a plan to win Lana's heart once more. He wanted to fix what was shattered and felt that bringing back old memories would be the best way to do this. He and Lucas went to Madame Nina to discuss of the plan. Although not liking the reason behind it, Lucas did like the idea that Nicholas had.

Over the years Madame Nina had redeveloped the circus. It was smaller than what they were used to but it still was a way for them to gather some type of income. They only put on shows about once a month and remained within the capital for everyone's safety and to be close to the four boys.

She had informed the rest of the troupe of Lana's return. Those who remembered her were excited and wanted to see her more than ever. However, seeing her was a lot harder than they had anticipated. Since Lana was a member of the Survey Corps she was harder to get a hold of as she was going to be traveling beyond the walls. The idea frightened a few of the newcomers who had been taken under Madame Nina's wings.

Nicholas had approached Madame Nina and the others with the plan. He wanted to have the four of them put on a show like they used to in the past. Nina had no objections and was thrilled to hear that the boys were coming back for a one time show. Nicholas felt that this was the deepest root that he shared with Lana and wanted nothing more than to have this win her back.

The immediately began preparations for the show. Nicholas had informed Keith and Jack about what was going to happen. Jack disagreed with the show and wanted nothing to do with it. However, after discussing it with Madame Nina, he became convinced and was obedient. Keith was a little reluctant on wanting to perform again after years of not doing any performances at all. He didn't want to risk himself and do his old trapeze act and decided to stick with something he could do with his eyes closed.

With a great deal of excitement, Nico and Nisha had created costumes for the four soldiers that best resembled their growth and development. Seeing how they were unable to dress in their old attire, they needed a fresh look for the show even if it was going to be a onetime only deal. Costumes were created that reflected on their military status as soldiers but remained whimsical like the good old days.

Nicholas and Keith had informed their Commander of the event that was going to take place. With continuous begging, Nile broke and decided to give all four of them the time off to be able to put on the performance. It was decided that even a few of the soldiers would view the show after hearing about the types of lives that the four had in the past. Nobody really believed any of them when they had told others that they were once circus performers. It was hard for a lot of people to picture that these were people who were willing to go up on the stage and perform.

A letter was prepared for Lana and was sent out to be delivered inviting her and her new friends to the performance. It was only a matter of time before he was going to try and win her heart back. Just as the letter was sent out, Lucas and Keith had received a letter of their own. They were asked to show up at a house without their uniforms on. The meeting was to be held in secret.

It was late at night when they had arrived at a small house that had a larger backyard. The house was close to the wall and was almost secluded. Keith felt a little uneasy about being there, but he knew what was going on. The letter had the same writing as the one he had received before in regards to the Interior First Squad. When the two of them approached, they were welcomed by a somewhat familiar face. Spike was at the door as he eagerly awaited for the arrival with a devilish grin on his face.

"Welcome gentlemen."

The two walked in and were on high alert. In the room were many people who were armed. They all wore stern expressions on their faces that was not welcoming. Keith knew the feeling all too well as it reminded him of a time long ago with the Crovus Clan. He kept his hand close to the gun that was concealed under his trench coat. He was prepared to strike at any moment if anything were to occur. Sitting on a couch was an older gentlemen who bore the same devilish grin on his face.

"So Keith Aberdeen and Lucas Anderson. The two of you have quite the skill," he said as he got up from his seat.

"Holy shit, you're Kenny the Ripper," Lucas stated as he changed his stance to be ready for an attack.

Keith looked at Lucas with a bit of uncertainty. He wondered why someone like him was within the Interior First Squad. But then he thought of the night where he listened to the conversation behind the door. At this point Keith was ready to face the bullet head on. He wanted to figure out what Jack's involvement was with everything. He wanted to know what the deal was with the serum and he wanted to know what the story was behind the titan shifters. It was his duty and goal to get to the bottom of things.

Keith stepped forward prepared for what he was about to face. He didn't falter and he didn't say a word. He stood his ground and stared at the man standing before him with determined eyes.

"Well, well, well. You have balls I'll give you that. Now you have two choices. Let me see what you can do and potentially become a member, or die right here on the spot. It's up to you gentlemen."

Without hesitation, Keith grabbed a hold of his gun and swung it out pulling the trigger. With a straight face, he stared at the man hard as everyone in the room was startled by the move. The bullet had gone right past Kenny's face and had struck a bottle in someone's hand as they were taking a drink. The look on their face was of pure horror as they had realized that they had almost be struck while enjoying their drink. Kenny could do nothing but be impressed as a small trickle of blood fell from his cheek. The bullet had just grazed him enough to not do any serious harm but still inflict damage.

"What about you big guy," Kenny said with a smile as he ignored the gun that had been directed at his face.

Lucas was unsure of what he could do. He only had brute strength which almost seemed like nothing in comparison to Keith's sharp shooting. Keith remained still as he lowered the gun still remaining silent. Lucas walked up to the closet person who had a rifle in their hands. He ripped the rifle from them and bent the barrel of the gun. The owner was in awe and pissed at the same time.

"I see, you're the strong one and he's the fast one. It looks like you two made your decisions. What do you think fellas," he said as he began to gesture around to everyone in the room. "Should we let these gentlemen join our party?"

It was either everyone was too scared to confront them or everyone was willing to work with them. Either way, it was inevitable that the two were now going to be a part of the Interior First Squad. They were both pulled from Nicholas' squad and were now under the direction of Kenny Ackerman. What their job would entail was a different story entirely, but now they were both in deeper to the mystery of the military.

The following day was the day of the performance. Keith was not thrilled to be wearing his signature outfit again. Although it was modified it made him look like a child considering his small stature. Even after the years had gone by, Keith remained to be one of the shortest men out of the entire group standing tall at only 5'6". On top of that, he did have muscles but was fairly thin. He wore green shorts held up by green suspenders and a white button up short sleeve shirt. The one thing he liked about his outfit was the hat that sat proudly on his head. It was a green hat with white trim and feather with a patch of the Military Police Brigade sitting in the center. He wore a belt with daggers hanging at each side and a pair of brown dress shoes. His new glasses were held onto his head thanks to the straps that were given to him by Al.

Keith walked around the back as he was watching Nico and Nisha twirl around in the dresses that they had made. The two twins had become the main seamstresses for the show and even made the outfits for all four of them just for the occasion. Their craftsmanship was proven worthy as they were able to quickly create the designs and do the fittings for all of them in the matter of just two days.

Keith was stretching on the stage as he watched the stage hands prepare for the show but taking care of last minute tasks. He watched them scurry about and get the seats ready, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. That was until something caught his eye. Off in the distance, he could see Jack in a dark green cloak much like the black one he used to wear. However, Jack wasn't alone. He could see another person was standing with him. The situation seemed suspicious to Keith especially with the events that had taken place just recently.

He took it upon himself to investigate and try to figure out what was going on. He quickly jumped off from the stage and made his way into the shadows. At that time the sun had finally set which gave him the perfect amount of stealth. Quietly he crawled within the bushes trying is hardest not to be seen or to make any sound. When he finally reached them he was able to hear every word that was being said.

"It's only a matter of time before someone else becomes interested in her. We need to pull her away as soon as we can. Even if that mean by force. I don't want you screwing up again. You already lost the serum and our way in so there is no way for us to get our hands on any more. Don't screw this up for us. " came the voice of Madame Nina.

"Understood. How do you want to proceed?"

"I want to use this opportunity to regain her trust. Right now she has every reason not to want to come here tonight. If she does then that is a good sign. Once the trust is established then maybe she will come willingly."

"You and I both know that, that is not going to be an option. Especially with Nicholas in the way."

"Yes, I am fully aware of that. Nicholas may have been my son, but he was my greatest failure. I had, had such high hopes for him but when he fell for her, it ruined everything. That's why I'm glad I have you Jack my dear. You are my greatest achievement. I want you to help me get what I want and we both will be rewarded. Soon the whole world will know what we are capable of. It may have taken years to get to this point. That's why I want you to carry on the task for me."

"I don't understand. You don't want to do this yourself anymore?"

"I am but an old lady. You still have a good few years left in you. I want you to take the power for yourself. I want you to make me proud. The Sidonia's were robbed of what was rightfully theirs. I want you my dear to take back what is ours. You are the only one I can trust ever since my darling died at the hands of the blasted Crovus. Neal should have never listened to Caroline and partnered with them. The power should be ours not theirs. I was right to break our ties of with them entirely. Especially by coming here. Here we can control this place and be deemed as rightful rulers."

"Yes mother. Whatever you wish. I will do my best to ensure that the Sidonia name is recognized."

He could hear the two of them walk away. He was left with nothing but silence as he sat within the bushes unable to move. Keith was only trying to comprehend what was said, but was starting to get more questions on top of what he already did not know. It wasn't long before he had to get up and catch up with the others. Time was already running short before the show was about to begin.

When Keith had made it back to the stage, Lana was standing with Nico and Nisha along with some of the other Survey Corps behind her. He recognized a few of them as the ones who were there at her trial.

"Come on girls, it's time for us to get behind stage!" Keith called out to them.

He nodded at Lana who gave a smile in return. Keith waited in the wings along with others. They were all prepared to strut and give it their all. Nicholas promptly walked onto the stage in his new outfit and called out to the audience to take their seats. He wore white pants and leather boots like his normal soldier uniform. However instead of his usual jacket, he wore a green blazer with the MP emblem on his back. Like Keith, Nicholas also wore a hat. His green top hat also displayed the emblem on the center with a single green feather sticking out. Lucas was in the back adjusting his white suspenders that held up his green shorts. Aside from the shorts, he wore nothing else and exposed his large muscular body.

Keith watched Nicholas from the wings as he invited Lana up to the stage. She was nervous which was very unlike her. He couldn't help but to laugh as it reminded him of her first time on stage doing a dance routine with hula hoops. The music began to play as Nicholas held onto Lana preventing her from leaving. That was their queue to make their appearances in the opening act of the show.

Felix was the first to make his appearance at the side of the stage. He began to belt out lyrics to the song as Nico and Nisha quickly dashed out onto the stage. The two of them twirled which prompted others to run out and tumble about. As the twins danced on opposite ends of the stage Nicholas remained with Lana at the center with everyone else using the remaining space to show off what they could do.

"Ready?" Lucas asked as he crouched down.

"You know it!" Keith replied climbing up on his shoulders.

Keith positioned himself so that he was standing on top of Lucas' shoulders. He pulled out three daggers from his belt and began to juggle them in the air while maintaining his balance. Lucas stepped out onto the stage trying to keep himself steady as Keith concentrated. Jack crept onto the stage with his hood up and over his face. He held one of his larger snaked as he maneuvered his body as such that it looked like a dance. The three of them took their place near the front as the others were doing their flips and tricks behind.

When the music finally ended, Keith grabbed a hold of his daggers and listened to the applause. He looked over at Lana as her eyes were completely lit up. She was thoroughly enjoying herself up on the stage and that made him feel better about everything. Everyone gathered and took their bows. The four soldiers remained on the stage as all of the others headed back into the wings. Keith had jumped off of Lucas and placed himself at the end.

"Alright, Ladies and Gentlemen that was quite the opening act wasn't it?" Nicholas called out.

The crowd was excited over the whimsical sight. Keith happened to see some of their fellow comrades in the back applauding along with the rest of the crowd. He was quite impressed to see some people he knew enjoying themselves at the show. At that point, the plan was invite the Survey Corps soldiers that were present to join them on the stage. Nicholas called out to them and asked them all to join them so that he could set a good impression on Lana.

The soldiers were hesitant at first but one by one they each came up onto the stage. Keith and the others stepped back just enough to allow the Survey Corps to enjoy their moment in the spotlight. Keith, Lucas, and Jack stood behind the Survey Corps and promptly did the salute. With their right fist placed firmly on their left shoulder and their left fist resting on the back of their right hip, they watched as Nicholas coaxed the crowd into cheering for them.

It was Nicholas' plan to get the audience to cheer for the Survey Corps to make it seem like he was playing the innocent good guy. He was wanting to make it seem like the Survey Corps deserved more than what was being given to them in order to impress Lana. By doing this he had hoped of opening the door to win Lana back into his life.

Without even thinking, Keith watched Lana do the salute as well as she proudly stood before the audience. This was the person that Keith recognized, proud, firm, and determined. Even though she was frail she was stronger than most. It seemed that every day she had been growing stronger and stronger. All of the others on the stage followed Lana's example and did the salute as the crowd cheered.

Keith and the others began to make their way off of the stage as the Survey Corps returned to their seats. It was at this time that they were going to get Lana to do her old routine. Keith had fought against the idea seeing how he himself was not comfortable doing his aerial routine after all of these years. He felt that Lana wouldn't be able to do the movements like she used to. Nicholas stopped Lana from leaving the stage and introduced her to the audience with her routine. Lucas had gone up to the catwalk to release the red fabric that was going to be used.

She was timid and refused at first, but fell through with the idea. She walked up to the fabric and caressed it just as the music started to play. Quickly and effortlessly Lana climbed up the fabric and began to sway. She wrapped the fabric around her and proceeded to dance with it. Keith was amazed at her movements. It was as if nothing had ever changed. Her moves were fluid and smooth, filled with grace and dignity. She had become completely lost in her surroundings, it was just her, the fabric, and the music. As he watched her he remembered the old feelings that he once had. She was beautiful. Keith became overwhelmed with the thoughts of her once more. He clenched onto his chest as he was reminded of the moments that the two of them shared. What was going through his mind was conflicting. He couldn't tell if what he was feeling was joy of having her back in his life, or sorrow at the idea that he wouldn't have her. He reached up to his face and gave himself a hard slap to snap himself back together. He knew that he loved Robin with all of his heart, he was committed to her and their son.

The show came to an end and Keith wanted to say his goodbyes to Lana before she was to return to their base.

"Lana! It was nice of you to be able to come tonight," Keith said with a smile.

"Yeah, I really enjoyed myself. It was like the old days huh?"

"Yeah it was wasn't it?"

The two of them shared a small smile with one another.

"Listen, if you are ever in the capital and have some free time let me know. Things for me just changed so my duties are a little more flexible. I want to be able to catch up with you."

Lana nodded in agreement.

Everyone was resting after a long day of hard work and a successful night. Keith sat on a crate with Lucas and told him everything that he had overheard from Jack and Nina's conversations.

"So they are really after her aren't they?" Lucas asked.

"Appears so. It seems that they want her power to take over the land."

"Who wouldn't? That is one kick ass power. I wonder what the Sidonia's were robbed of."

"No clue, but it sounds like trouble will be brewing if they were able to get their hands any type of power. However, she wants Jack to have the power. She even pretty much called him her true son and referred to Nicholas as her failure."

"I wonder if either one of us was going to be next. It probably would have been you."

"I bet you this entire time they were just using us. Using the circus as a decoy to conduct this plan of action. But why spend all of this time developing it. Why not just try and take the power themselves."

"Maybe they were using the Crovus Clan to get the information on how to proceed. Maybe that was the deal that was going on."

"Maybe. No matter, we can't let Jack near Lana. I don't know what trick they have up their sleeves but I have no reason to trust him anymore."

"And Nicholas?"

"Nicholas is digging his own grave. At some point he is going to slip up and do something stupid, and when that happens I don't want to be there."

"Crazy to think that we were all just like brothers just ten years ago. Now all of this shit is coming into the light. This entire time all of this has been going on and we were just too stupid to see it."

"Yeah," Keith leaned back and stared up at the stars.

The following morning Keith had made his way back to the barracks to report for duty under the direction of his new squad. He and Lucas walked into a room in full uniform. There were a few in uniform but most wore their street clothes. There was a woman and a man who stood before everyone as they were preparing themselves to give out orders.

"At this time it has become apparent that the Survey Corps has a few tricks up their sleeves. During the trial a few days ago it seems that another titan shifter has been revealed. At this point it will make a total of five shifters that come from the Survey Corps," the woman called out with extreme authority.

Murmurs started among the soldiers. Lucas and Keith knew exactly what she was talking about when she mentioned the shifter from the trial. When they had pinned Lana with the sword, her wound healed quickly with steam forming as a result. This was a well-known attribute of a titan and with other witnesses in the room, word had gotten around quickly that the existence of another shifter was present.

"On top of that it is believed that the item that was stolen from the Reiss family in the custody of one of our own was a serum. The culprit was Grisha Yeager. You can see where our problem lies now. More importantly, it has been brought to our attention that the true heir is among them as well. They could be using this opportunity to gain the upper hand over us as well as the current government."

"I don't understand, what do you mean by the true heir," Keith called out.

"That's right, you two are new here. Rod Reiss is the one who gives us the orders to act. He is the true king within the walls the one you see is a fake. We have reasons to believe that his bastard child of a daughter is a Survey Corps soldier. It is our job to capture her and the shifters."

Lucas and Keith glanced at each other as they listened into the plan. The squad was to locate and apprehend them. They were to capture Eren, Lana, and the daughter. Meanwhile others who were in charge of guarding Minister Nick were ordered to obtain any information he may have in regards to history of the walls. They were to obtain the information by any means necessary and to prevent the Survey Corps from getting information themselves.

When they were all dismissed, Keith and Lucas made their way down the street and began their patrolling duties. It was their job to see if there were any individuals who stuck out from the rest.

"So what do we do now?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know, but this is not good."

Keith watched the streets with a careful eye. At this time he was set on edge and remained to be on high alert.

"With our squad and Jack after Lana alone there is a problem. But to have the true heir to the throne thrown into the mix, that is one hell of a stew. There is one thing I know we can do."

Keith and Lucas made their way to the barracks were a few of the Survey Corps soldiers remained. While searching for Spencer they kept a watchful eye out to be sure that there were no members of the Interior Squad around. Thankfully they were able to find him without any problems.

"Spencer, I'm glad to see you're still here." Keith called out to him.

The slender man turned to face his two friends with his usual piece of candy in his mouth. He was delighted to see the two of them, but his expression soon changed when he was greeted to the serious aura that the two of them carried. The three of them remained careful as they walked to a secluded area outside.

"Something is going on isn't it?" Spencer broke the silence.

"The Military Police Brigade is starting to see you Survey Corps as enemies," Keith came right out with it.

With a sigh Spencer replied, "I knew something like that was going to happen."

"What makes you say that?" Lucas asked.

"Well, our Commander is a handful. Once he has a goal he is going to stick to it no matter what. It seems that his goal has gotten us into some hot water. Our commander wants nothing more than to find the truth behind the titans and the reason why we are locked within the walls. When that thing was revealed in the wall, it stoked the fire within him even more. Now that we have Eren Yeager in our hands as well as your friend there he wants to push through to his goal. Especially the boy. He claims that within his basement there are secrets about the history of the titans about the walls."

"Seriously?" Keith proclaimed.

"Yeah, that's why we need Eren. He is the only one with the key to the basement. Your friend Lana is the cherry on top. She's working with Hange and the rest of my squad in the research and development of the titan theories. That's why we need her."

"Geez, to think that you guys were doing all of this work. I never realized it when I read the reports but, shit that's a lot. But here is where the problem lies. With Eren and Lana in your guy's hands there is reasoning to believe that you guys are planning on over throwing the throne."

"What?" Spencer was perplexed with the idea.

"There is a solider within your regiment. A soldier who is the true heir to the throne. Right now the current hierarchy is just a show. The real king is in hiding and always has been. His daughter is a soldier of the Survey Corps. With two titans and the true heir that's enough to give the throne a major shaking," Lucas continued.

"You're kidding!" Spencer shouted.

"Wish we were. That's why the Survey Corps has been labeled as enemies. We are currently keeping watch. It doesn't help that your Commander is as cunning as he is. Just the mere sight of him sets people on edge."

Spencer was trying to comprehend the mess that has just been created within the regiment.

"Oh yeah, and another thing. Try and get Minister Nick out of here as quickly as you can. I feel that he is in danger," Keith stated.

"I'll try my best."

"Things are not right within the Military Police. We are supposed to the light of peace and serenity, but we are as black as the shadows of night. They are acting like the traitor within the brigade was nothing and are trying to disband the Survey Corps for finding out the truth. It's almost like the higher ups don't want us to find the truth."

After Keith and Lucas left, Spencer had gone and informed Erwin everything that he was told. The pact between the two of them remained strong. They had each other's backs no matter what. Things were starting to make more sense to Keith now. With Rod Reiss as the true king of the walls the First Interior Squad listened to him and their captain Kenny. Kenny Ackerman was present within the meeting with Jack, which means that Rod was most likely also in the discussion. Rod has information in regards to the serum which may be why he was in hiding. How Jack was involved in all of this was still a part of the puzzle that Keith couldn't quite understand. However, he understood why Jack would want to get close to the king and Kenny. He wanted to get his hands on the serum to obtain the powers of a titan. With the powers Jack would be able to gain what was considered rightfully the Sidonia's the power of the throne for themselves.

As Keith and Lucas returned to the main halls they saw an injured Nicholas holding a damp cloth to his forehead.

"What happened to you?" Lucas asked as the two of them approached.

"It's none of your business," he lashed out at them.

"Take it easy Nick, we're all brothers here."

"No we aren't we never were. Mother only took you two in because she needed you."

"Easy watch what you say Nicholas," Keith replied sternly.

"Says the son of murderers. Admit it the two of you know that she only wanted you for your talent. She loved me the most, I was her child. I was the chosen one for everything."

"Calm down Nick you're talking nonsense," Lucas said as he went to put a hand on Nicholas' shoulder.

Nicholas smacked his hand away. "I WAS THE CHOSEN ONE! I WAS THE ONE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET CLOSE TO! WHY! WHY DID SHE CHOSE THAT MISERABLE SURVEY CORPS LOSER!"

At this point Keith had no clue what Nicholas was blabbering on about.

"He got into a fight with Lance Corporal Levi. The girl that was with them managed to break the two of them up before things got messy," came the cool voice of a woman behind them.

The woman was one of the medical soldiers of the M.P.'s who had trained under Dr. Tulp. She helped Nicholas up from the bench and guided him to the medical room. Keith took it upon himself to investigate a little into what Nicholas was up to. He broke into his office and began to rummage through the papers on his desk.

Sitting on the desk were different reports. It seemed that the Interior First Squad wasn't the only squad who was in search for the squad. Nicholas had sent out many of his own squad members after them so that he could talk to Lana directly after their squad had left the barracks. After sending numerous letters offering her a position within the brigade, she responded with letter of declination. Seeing the many letters was enough to make Nicholas snap. As Nicholas was in the office one of his squad members entered. Keith was startled to see the bandaged up individual.

"What happened to you?" Keith called out concerned for the young man.

"It was him. I just can' take it anymore. Every time she said no, the soldier reporting the answer to him always ended up like this," there was fear in his eyes. "He is becoming a monster ever since she came back. I could handle the researching and information gathering on her, but now that she is actually back things have gotten worse."

"Wait, what do you mean the researching and information gathering?"

"You didn't know? Funny I thought that since you two grew up together he would at least have you involved," the soldier said with a chuckle. "He had us constantly searching for her. We even were told to break into a few homes after some possible leads turned up."

"And the Commander was ok with this!"

"The Commander doesn't know!"

Keith quickly left the room and ran to the medical hall. As he got closer to the room he could hear yelling. A soldier from Nicholas' squad ran out of the room screaming. The horror that was on his face sent shivers up Keith's spine. When Keith made it into the doorway he was in complete astonishment at the sight that was before him. There was blood everywhere it was enough to make Keith want to throw up. He watched as Nicholas held onto a scalpel and repeatedly stabbed one of his own in the chest. The woman from before was on the ground with a pair of scissors sticking out of her eye socket. At that moment Keith snapped and was no longer able to keep himself together.

He calmly closed the door behind him. The clicking of the door caught Nicholas' attention He stood up from the ground with blood dripping from his clothes. With the scalpel in his hand he charged at Keith and stabbed him in the stomach. Keith did nothing, he didn't even flinched. He grabbed Nicholas' throat with one hand and tightened his grip pulling the scissors out of his stomach. Nicholas responded by punching Keith across the face. The force of the impact caused him to let go as he braced himself for another attack.

Nicholas charged at him and managed to grab Keith by the hair. He swung Keith around and smashed his face through the window. The pain was excruciating as shards dug deep into his face. Nicholas pulled him away from the window and repeatedly began smashing his face into the window sill. Keith reached down and pulled a dagger that was strapped to his belt and stabbed Nicholas in the thigh. With blood dripping down his face, Keith turned around and faced Nicholas with extreme anger. He landed a kick in Nicholas' stomach causing him to fall back.

Keith climbed onto top of Nicholas and continued to choke him. Nicholas grabbed Keith's wrists in resistance. The force of Nicholas' grasp on his wrist caused him a great deal of pain. He was able to overcome Keith and pushed him off. Nicholas stood up and grabbed Keith's jacket before Keith was able to regain his footing. Nicholas swung Keith around and threw him up against the wall. He pulled the dagger that was in his leg and prepared himself to stab Keith in the chest missing his heart but stopped.

"Wha…What the hell is this?" Nicholas stammered.

"You're delusional Nicholas. You're even seeing things."

Nicholas let go of Keith and stepped back in fear. The Keith that was standing before him was not the same Keith he knew. He bore a smile on his face and his eyes were hallow. But it was not just the haunting stare, it was something else about him that put the fear in Nicholas. In his moment of fear, Keith sprung and punched Nicholas in the face. With Nicholas barely conscious on the ground Keith wiped the blood from his face and pulled the dagger from his chest.

"As a member of the Interior First Squad, I Keith Aberdeen am placing you Vice-Captain Nicholas Elric under arrest for the murders of two soldiers and assaulting a fellow officer."

Keith knelt down and tied Nicholas' wrist with some rope he had within his jacket. The door burst open as Keith pulled Nicholas up from the ground and slowed down his breathing to focus. Commander Nile Doc and a few other soldiers stared in terror at the scene. Lucas pushed passed everyone and was welcomed to the stench of blood.

"KEITH" he shouted. "Shit are you ok."

"Yeah I'm fine," Keith replied passing Nicholas off to some pale faced soldiers who stammered into the room.

"Damn, I can't believe you managed to get away with a few scratches and a couple of bruises."

Keith took in a deep breath to keep his mind straight. "Yeah, just a little beat up, that's all."

"There is blood all over the window sill," Nile stated after walking into the room. He turned around and faced Keith. "I guess it's hard to trust anyone these days."


	16. Mind over Matter

Nicholas was now behind bars for murder. He had completely lost his mind and his madness took over his actions. There was no telling what he was going to be capable of if Keith hadn't stopped him in the medical room. The following day, Nicholas' office was to be cleared and examined. Nile Doc had reasons to believe that Nicholas' madness had managed to uncover some potential material. At this time he was well informed on the situation of the potential threat that the Survey Corps was.

Keith had managed to make it to the office before the others. He located a piece of paper earlier that contained information in regards to the location of the Survey Corps. Reports of activity was seen within a forested area that was supposed to be deserted. As Keith searched for the piece of paper, he could hear footsteps enter the room. Quickly, Keith turned himself around and prepared himself for an attack. Standing in the doorway was Kenny Ackerman.

"Well done the other day. I'm surprised a pipsqueak like you handled that situation as well as you did."

"It wasn't that hard," Keith replied lowering his guard a little. "I'm surprised that they allow you to walk around the halls by yourself given your record."

Kenny smiled a toothy grin, "Tell me how someone such as yourself was able to make it out of there with only a few scratches and a couple of bruises."

"Luck I guess. Want to tell me why you're here…Captain?"

Kenny walked up to Keith and reached around him. He pulled the piece of paper that had the report in regards to the activity in the forest.

"I heard that the crazy ass had done a little looking into. Seems to me that it would be a shame to let all of this work were go to waste don't you think?"

Kenny began to make his way out of the room. He stopped and turned around to face Keith.

"Oh, you should pay your respects to the Minister at the very least. Sounds to me that those two soldiers weren't the only deaths last night."

At that moment Keith realized that Spencer and the others were too late. Those within the Interior First Squad had already reached the Minister. Keith went to the location to examine the situation. He was greeted by two squad members who stood watch over the room. They all didn't say a word to each other as Keith made his way inside.

On the floor was Minister Nick's mangled body. He had gone through some torture over the night that resulted in his death. With a cold face, Keith left the room and came to a halt between the two guards.

"Were you able to get anything out of him?" he asked sternly.

"Nothing. The dumbass kept silent the entire time. We even threatened the rest of the cult and he refused to say anything. He was faithful right until the very end, the poor bastard."

"I guess his will and faith was stronger than we had originally thought," Keith stated hanging his head low.

"That reminds me, it sounds like you had a rough night yourself. Congrats on getting that jackass locked up. It was only a matter of time before he cracked like an egg."

Keith didn't say a word. He only gave a slight nod in agreement and left.

Keith reported in for duty as the paper that was in Nicholas' office was initiated into a plan. Now that they knew of the location of the Survey Corps squad, it was time for them to strike and take a hold of the three in question. With no information from Minister Nick, they were the next targets on the list. They played off the death as another one of the deaths from Nicholas' rampage. It was spread among the other squads to avoid further suspicion. They took the lie without any question and were relieved to hear that he was behind bars.

Meanwhile as the plan was being instructed, Keith kept thinking about what was going on. It had become apparent that there were already those who didn't trust him after Kenny's behaviour earlier in the day. It was almost as if someone had seen them talking to Spencer a few days prior. He began to grow concerned and feared for Spencer's safety.

During the meeting they were given new vertical maneuvering equipment. They were instructed not to use it just yet, but were shown the differences from the ones that they were used to already. These were the same devices that Keith had reviewed the blue prints for. He was surprised that they were approved for manufacturing and usage so quickly.

"This is Dimo Reeves of the Reeves Company. He and his men will be the ones to follow through with the raid. The less of us present the better. That's why he has graciously offered up his employees. However, Keith and Lucas will be in attendance during the raid. The rookies will be the ones to do the dirty work," Kenny stated with a smile on his face.

The raid was to take place at nightfall. Keith and Lucas were prepared to set off with the rest of the Reeves Company. Prior to the plan, the Reeves Company had made countless deals with the Interior First Squad. The squad would receive goods and compensation for protection of the Company from competitors and other threats. It was Keith and Lucas' turn to act as the protectors to the company.

Instead of wearing their uniforms, they set out in their regular attire. All of the men were armed as they began to march out towards a small cabin that was lit up inside. It was dark and warm as they made their way down the road. Keith prayed that the raid would be unsuccessful. He hoped that with all of the events that had played out, then the Survey Corps would have gotten themselves out of there.

"Hold up," Keith called out. He quickly thought up of a plan just in case things were to not go as he had hoped. He was prepared to put himself at risk for the safety of Lana and the others. His didn't care about his loyalty as an M.P., he cared more so about the safety of his friend and the common goal he had with Commander Erwin. He too wanted to get to the bottom of things and felt that having the raid be successful would ruin all chances of finding any answers.

"Lucas and I will remain here within the tree coverage. There may be a chance that they will escape and we want to catch them before they do."

Nobody argued with Keith and agreed that the plan was a good one. Everyone went on ahead as Keith and Lucas stayed back.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Lucas asked.

"I'm not sure of anything anymore. Everything has gone to shit. Just think about what we were sent to do. There isn't any full proof that the Survey Crops are even wanting to perform a coup. But I know one thing is certain. We can't let them get their hands on any of them, otherwise we lose in more ways than one."

"Agreed, when I heard of the report that they could be here, I immediately set out for Spencer. I told him to tell Erwin to get them out of there."

Keith climbed up a tree as Lucas placed himself concealed within some bushes. They watched the lights reach the cabin as the others had begun the raid. Things seemed to be too quiet for a raid which sent some relief through Keith. He looked a little off in the distance and could make out faint shadows along a hill.

"There, there they are," Keith pointed. "They managed to get out in time. Come on, let's head that way and make sure that they get away."

Keith jumped down and began sprinting with Lucas not far behind him. They decided to make their way around the cabin to avoid anyone around the area. It didn't take them very long to be able to catch up with them. Before they were seen, they ducked out of cover and hid behind trees.

"Seems like everyone got out ok," Lucas whispered.

"Shh, their stopping," Keith whispered after peering out slightly.

Lucas did the same to see what they were doing. Upon further inspection they saw that they were cutting someone's hair.

"Seriously, they are giving someone a haircut at a time like this?"

"Idiots, come on let's move to make sure that they aren't being followed."

"Got it."

The two quickly darted away from them and headed towards the cabin. They met up with the Reeves Company as many of them felt outraged and disappointed. They decided that there was no point in continuing. Keith and Lucas were thankful that none of them realized just how close they were to the Survey Corps.

As they made their way back to the road Keith and Lucas were whispering to each other.

"I wonder where they are going to go this time." Lucas whispered.

"Think about the direction they were walking in. they're probably heading to Trost. At least at this point they know who the targets are. They'll lie low probably overnight. Let's just make it back to Trost and hope for the best."

The following morning Keith and Lucas reported for duty. The two of them received news that Nicholas had escaped from his prison. There was a rumor that during their raid he had started heading towards Trost. With the two of them in the district they were given the task to capture and detain him considering how Keith was able to stop him before. Nicholas was a threat no matter who he was dealing with. It was up to Keith to stop things from progressing any further.

The two of them walked around the street and patrolled the area. They were trying to keep an open eye out for any of the Survey Corps as well as for Nicholas. Things were quiet on all aspects. People had just started filling the streets to go about their normal routines. The Reeves Company had caught on to the plan and believed that the Survey Corps had already escaped the cabin before they had reached them. With Trost being the closest place it was obvious to them that this would be the location that they were going to hide. Many of the employees walked around the main entrance of the district awaiting for their targets.

As the two wandered there was something that caught Keith's eye. He saw a dark figure ducking into an alley way. Something didn't feel right with him and he wanted to be sure that the person didn't mean any harm. He carefully watched the person as they quickly moved out of the alley way and down the street. The two made brief eye contact with one another as they had ducked into another alley. Keith stopped and placed his hand on Lucas. He gestured towards the alley that the person was in and began walking in that direction. Right away he knew something was up with the person.

"Follow my lead," he whispered.

As the two approached the alley Keith continued, "This is crazy, I can't believe that this shit is happening. What are we going to tell the others?"

Lucas caught on and continued on with the discussion as they both stopped near the alley entrance. "The murder of two of our own soldiers Keith. The man is crazy, it was bound to happen sooner or later."

Keith gave a sharp look towards Lucas not expecting him to discuss what happened to Nicholas. He decided to carry on with the conversation anyways.

"Yeah, but to be this crazy!"

"Well, with no Vice-Captain someone needs to take the reins seeing how the Commander doesn't care too much about us."

"I wonder who will do it."

"Beats me, but have you heard anything strange going on around here lately?"

Lucas nodded towards Keith for reassurance. Keith knew right away what he had going on up his sleeve. He reached and swung the rifle he had on his shoulder at the ready just in case.

"I don't know, what have you heard?"

"That there are strange weirdos following people," Lucas stated turning into the alley.

The two saw the stranger hiding around the corner listening into their conversation. Without hesitation Lucas had grabbed the person by the shirt and slammed them up against the wall. They flailed a little as Lucas got right into their face.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Stop, Stop, STOP! It's me!" they shouted.

The two realized that it was Lana that they had come across.

It was no wonder that they didn't recognize her. Her long black hair was no longer there. She was dressed like a man to conceal her identity. Lucas quickly apologised for his actions as he let go of her. She dusted herself off and relaxed a little.

"What are you doing?" Keith asked confused as to why she wasn't with the other squad members.

She paused a moment before she spoke. In a quick instant her words cracked like the sound of a whip. Keith could feel it resonate through his body but was able to shake it off quickly.

"Tell me what you know about Historia Reiss and Eren Yeager."

Keith only moved his eyes and witnessed Lucas become very stiff. He knew right away that this was one of Lana's abilities. Lucas obeyed and responded to her with what he knew.

"Historia Reiss is the bastard child of nobility to the Reiss family. She is of great importance to the government due to this noble status. She has information in her bloodline of the history of the walls. This information must be kept a secret to ensure order remains under the rule of the monarchy," he stated in a monotone voice keeping his eyes forward.

Keith breathed in and complied staring straight ahead of him. "Eren Yeager is a known titan shifter. His cause of his abilities are unknown. His father was seen breaking in and stealing something of great importance to the government. What it was is unknown. It is believed that Eren Yeager has information on this item. We are told to bring this item back into custody without further interferences." Keith didn't want to tell her everything fearing that it was going to land her in more hot water than she was already in. He decided to give her some information just no all of it.

"Tell me what your current orders are," she demanded.

Without any waver Lucas replied, "To find Nicholas Elric and kill him,"

The look on Lana's face was of shock. She looked over at Keith who remained straight faced. The day before, Keith had heard of the trial that had taken place. Nicholas was deemed guilty for his actions and was sentenced to death.

"Keith's bruises from the show," Lana whispered.

He had to think back to what she was talking about. As far as she knew Keith and Lucas were still a part of Nicholas' squad. On the day of the circus performance, Keith had met up with a few members of the Interior First Squad. To prove to them of his worth they had put him under a trial of strength. He was beaten senselessly that morning leaving many cuts and bruises. They told him that if he were to make it in to work the following day then they would be impressed and treat him with respect. With control and determination, Keith was able to put on the show and return to work. He concealed bruises with make-up for the others to see but not very well. It took a lot out of him to ensure that the bruises were only there for the other soldiers to see for a few days.

Keith stared at her as she was lost in thought. A small trickle of blood began to drip from her nose. After realizing she was at her limit she quickly made one last order.

"Forget I was here. You didn't see me, you don't know what I look like."

She pushed passed the two of them and darted down the street. Keith watched her run as Lucas came to.

"What happened," Lucas said holding onto his head.

"Lana used her powers on us to try and get information."

"Wait, how do you remember?"

"Forget it, she got the information she was looking for. I just hope she doesn't do anything stupid with it. Let's go, we have to make sure Nicholas doesn't get to her."

The two of them continued to make their rounds as Lucas was trying to figure out what had happened. An employee of the Reeves Company had approached them with some information.

"Hey, you two were the ones with us the other night. Listen I have something you ought to know. We have captured the Reiss girl as well as the Yeager kid. We have them in a warehouse not far from here. Keep your eyes open. The other shifter has to be around here somewhere."

Things were not looking good for the Survey Corps. At least through the minds of Keith and Lucas. However something did seem to settle with Keith. To him there was no way that the Survey Corps would just be captured without putting up some sort of fight. Especially when they have someone such as Levi Ackerman with them. To Keith, it was almost as if they were willing to get themselves captured. Almost like they had a plan.

Keith smirked and gave a slight laugh. "Good job, I guess there really isn't any need for us. Have fun."

The sun was starting to set as Keith and Lucas were about to prepare themselves for another sleepless night. The two had changed into regular clothes and were prepared to meet others in their squad as well as those of the Reeves Company.

"You seem to be awfully calm with the whole capture," Lucas broke the silence.

"That's because I don't really believe that they were captured. I think that the whole thing was a set up on the Reeves Company. Think, why would they give in so easily and why was Lana out on her own."

"Those crafty sons of bitches."

"That's the Survey Corps for you."

When they entered their meeting place, Kenny Ackerman was proudly standing in front of everyone in the room. All of those present were equipped with the new vertical maneuvering device as they were getting ready for the next attack. Two employees of the Reeves Company were present and had informed Kenny of everything.

"It appears that the Reeves Company has the two shifters and the girl. They have them all held up in a cave just for us. Now I say that we go and pay them a little visit."

The two employees were very uncomfortable and it caught people's attention.

"Cave I thought they were in a warehouse," Keith whispered.

"That's what the one guy said. Plus didn't he just say that they had two titan shifters. When did they get a hold of Lana?"

"Something doesn't sound right."

Two gun shots could be heard. The employees who stood in front of everyone had now collapsed to the ground. Blood was pouring out of the wounds that were in their heads. Keith was astounded by the amount of trust that was in the room. It was evident that even if deals were made, it was a dog eat dog type of world.

"The two of you there. I want you to retrieve them. Take the wagon and head out to meet with them. And would someone take these pieces of trash out!"

The two soldiers who had tortured Minister Nick set out and began to make their way to bring the shifters and the heir back to them. Everyone waited for them to return as they were all going about like normal. Lucas and Keith remained on edge and kept to themselves. They feared for the worst believing that things were going the wrong way that they had hoped.

Time went by as people had begun to grow impatient.

"Where the hell are those idiots?" Kenny called out in frustration.

It had become apparent that at this point something had to have happen to the two soldiers that went after them. With a great deal of anger, it was proven where the Reeves Company had maintained their loyalty to.

Later that afternoon a Reeves Company employee approached them once again and informed them that they had to change locations. The shifters and the heir were now located in a cabin within the forest. Immediately, Kenny knew that this was some sort of trap that they were getting themselves into. It wasn't just Kenny, everyone knew that. At this point Kenny had declared that there were to be no survivors aside from the three that they needed.

"All of us will head out there tomorrow to retrieve them. It's time we take back what's ours."

That night Keith was looking at some of his old journal entries. Some of the things he wrote brought him old memories. However, there were some things that reminded him of the troubles that were ahead. He remembered the words that Caroline said to him. Her smile when she was consumed by a titan still haunted him to this day. He reflected on the contract that the Sidonia's and the Crovus Clan must have had. His excessive thinking caused him to once again have a sleepless night.

The following morning, they began to make their way to the secluded location as they were prepared for what was going to be laid out for them. Keith and Lucas were instructed to stay back and let everyone else handle the situation. They were ordered to stay within a perimeter in case someone were to escape or the Survey Corps were to interfere. It was believed that with their skills, the two of them would be able to handle the situation themselves.

Keith and Lucas awaited outside within the trees as the others began to make their way towards the cabin. They stayed off of the path and remained hidden. Out of the corner of Keith's eye, he could see movement within the trees not far from them. He assumed that the Survey Corps were nearby to ensure the safety of their comrades.

"We're not alone," Keith nodded towards the direction where they were.

"We're leaving them alone right?" Lucas asked.

"Of course. I don't want to be on their bad side no matter what the circumstances are. Hey listen Lucas, I've been thinking."

"It's about the serum stuff again isn't it?"

"Caroline had information in regards to the serum but it never sounded like she was able to create what she wanted. Or rather what Madame Nina and Neal wanted. What if Neal was traveling overseas to get that information?"

"Go on I'm listening."

"What if the Crovus Clan was also after that information? I mean we know that at this point the Sidonia's and the Crovus Clan had a deal with one another. What if the deal was to have the serum made for them so that the two groups can overthrow the kingdom?"

"I see what you're saying, but we aren't in Rhea anymore. So why does all of that matter?"

"Don't you remember when Lana first came into the picture? Neal wanted to protect her with all of his might. We know now at this point, pure blooded titans must have something to do with the serum right? Maybe he was protecting her and the Crovus Clan wanted none of it."

"Where the hell did that thought get in your head?"

Keith stared ahead into the trees as he continued. "Just think about it. It's too much a coincidence that there are pure blooded titans, a serum for titan shifting, and the fact that there are titans to begin with. I believe that when Neal and Caroline died, Jack became Madame Nina's partner. He has always been secluded from a lot of things we do. On top of that, do you remember me telling you about the meeting he was a part of with Kenny?"

"So you think Jack is after the serum after all."

"He may have something more to do with this than we think. If Madame Nina gets her hands on the serum I'm not sure what will happen but I don't like the idea of it. Something tells me that the shifters are in more danger than what is realized."

"If I'm thinking what you're thinking you do realize what this means for the both of us."

"Heck, I'm ready to turn my back on the military any day if it's for the safety of our family."

Just before the two were about to make their way towards the others, they could hear gun fire.

"It looks like the party has started without us," Keith proclaimed.

"Let's hold up and wait."

It wasn't long before they could hear rustling down below. They caught a glimpse of someone sprinting through the bushes. Keith was able to make out the person as Lana. She appeared to be running alone.

"What do we do? Should we follow her?" Lucas asked.

"No she may be at further risk if we do. Let's just let her go and hopefully her squad will catch up with her later. For now let's regroup with the others and figure out what is going on. If Lana got out then maybe the other two didn't."

Keith was correct to believe that Historia and Eren were captured. Lana was the only one who had escaped. Both Lucas and Keith had lied to Kenny and claimed that they did not see Lana at all while they were on guard. Kenny believed them and felt that it was necessary to leave her for now.

During the kidnapping, their squad had killed all members of the Reeves Company that were present and had obtained both Eren and Historia. It was now their duty to transport them to a warehouse where they would be confronted by the true king Rod Reiss. Here he would decide the fates of both of them.

Keith and Lucas were resting in a dorm in the Stohess district as they were instructed for the time being. It was one night they were told to patrol the area in search for Lana and other Survey Corps soldiers. It was their job to eliminate discretely any threat that may arise with their plan. If they were able to locate Lana, she was to be brought in to their custody and be detained.

When night finally fell, the two put their vertical maneuvering gear on and made sure to dress all in black. Keith was reminded of the times he had as a kid with his parents. It was almost as if the past was creeping up on him once more. He shook off the feeling as the two began to make their way out onto the streets.

It was a quite night as the moon shone above. Keith and Lucas made sure to conceal themselves within the shadows. Nothing seemed to be out of place, but there was an eerie sense in the air. It made the hair stand on end. Almost as if their instincts were telling them that something bad was about to fall before them. They remained silent as they patrolled, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

"Look up there," Lucas pointed to a shadowy figure on the roof top.

"It's almost like they are wanting to get themselves killed. What the hell are the Survey Corps up to?"

"Let's go check it out."

Keith and Lucas made their way in the direction that they saw the shadowy figure. It wasn't long before Keith caught sight of a trail of blood. He knelt down on the ground and touched it with his gloved hand. It was still wet and warm which meant that it hadn't been there for very long. Not very far up ahead where a few people standing at the entrance of an alley.

Keith calmly pulled his gun up and was prepared to shoot as he approached the scene.

"What's going on here?" he shouted.

"Hey, those are Survey Corps," Lucas proclaimed recognizing a few of them.

Unsure of how they would react, Keith began to play as the bad guy to assess the situation. Even though he deemed certain members as allies, not all of the Survey Corps could be trusted at this time. At any moment they could strike either one of them.

"Is that so? Yeah come to think of it, isn't that Captain Levi? I reckon they are out causing more trouble, don't yeah think?" Keith said with a snarky tone.

"What should we do?"

Keith noticed something in Levi's arms that seemed to be out of the ordinary.

"Hey, what do you have there, Captain?"

Levi slowly turned around with a bit of hesitation. Keith watched as the fear struck the eyes of Levi's fellow squad members. In his arms was a sight of horror. Keith lowered his gun in shock as his stomach turned. In his arms was a bloody mess, a mangled body. But not just any body was in his arms, it was Lana's body.

"Shit, that's Lana!" he yelled as he ran towards them dropping his gun in the process.

"Keith calm down! What happened," Lucas cried out holding Keith back from Levi.

"Oh, no" Keith began to cry in panic at the sight of her, "What has happened to you sis. Who did this to you? How is this even happening! She is supposed to be able to heal! WHY ISN'T SHE HEALING?"

"Keith, you have to calm down!" Lucas made eye contact with Levi. "How badly do you want her to live? If you can trust us we can help."

At that point Lana was not dead. She was very much alive, but barely holding on. The damage she had obtained were severe and life threatening. Even with her titan healing abilities, she was knocking on death's door. Lucas came up with the idea of getting her medical help from a trusted friend. Dr. Isaac Tulp currently lived within Stohess district and was the only hope that Lana had of survival.

The Survey Corps deemed that there would be a level a trust between one another for the sake of a mutual friend. Immediately, they all made their way to the Doctor's house to try and save her life. When they approached his house they were welcomed in with open arms. At this point there was still no explanation as to what had happened to her. No one knew since they had all parted ways. Whatever had happened to her, had happened to her alone.

Keith and Lucas made sure to explain to Isaac that Lana was a unique individual. At first it was a bit of a shock, but he was thrilled to be able to assist her in any way that he could. He quickly got to work and treated her wounds as Keith and Lucas waited with the others in the main room. The tension was high in the room as no one spoke to one another.

It was a long wait but finally Isaac returned with blood all over his clothes. "She is a unique specimen! It is quite the honor to be working on a body such as hers. I have already seen her body at work already. Now it seems that most of her healing is focusing on the internal damage that she has, which is why she seems to be brutally injured on the outside. I can only imagine what it was like on the inside. She is healing at a faster rate than a normal being, but she did need that little medical help to give her powers a little boost that it needed. I'm glad you boys brought her here, I don't think she would have made it with all of that blood spilling out of her."

"Will she be alright?" Levi asked.

"Why of course she will. The stitches are all done and splints are on her broken bones. All I need to do now is bandage her up a little to keep her wounds nice and neat," Isaac said with a smile.

A large amount of relief swept across everyone in the room at the sound of her recovery.

"I don't understand this. You are soldiers of the Military Police Brigade…so why are you helping us?" one of the soldiers asked.

In the heat of the moment, Keith abruptly responded irrationally and stood up from his seat, "Why you little brat…"

"Keith, you need to relax," replied Lucas pushing Keith back down into the chair. "We are helping you because we care for Lana. She is one of our own, our family. Through thick and thin we will always be there for her."

"We would do anything to protect her. And any friend of Lana's is a friend of ours," Keith proclaimed.

"We would literally throw down our jackets for her. Factions mean nothing to us when it comes to family."

Keith agreed to Lucas' words after remembering the discussion that they had just the day before. To them, family was the most important thing and nothing would change that. In that moment, the Survey Corps were willing to cooperate and Keith and Lucas were declared as allies to them. The two of them gave them any information that they could, revealing to them that they had originally made a pact with Spencer. In return the Survey Corps promised to keep Lana safe and out of harm.

"Did Lana happen to say anything about who did this to her?" Lucas asked.

"I couldn't make out what she was trying to say. I did hear her say the name Jack."

Lucas made eye contact with Keith the minute that they both figured out what was going on. Keith tried his best to keep his composure but it was evident that rage was filling his veins. At any moment he was ready to strike and take his revenge for what had been done.

As the night was turning to day, Keith and Lucas knew that they had to return to the Captain and report back in. They didn't reveal to the Survey Corps however that they were part of what was now referred to as the Anti-Personnel Squad. A squad filled with many elites, given the direct order to hunt down the Survey Corps with no exceptions. It was something they wanted to leave out for their own good. They had a rough night and that type of information was not necessary. They wanted to let them rest for a moment.


	17. Wahrheit

Keith was unable to sleep that night after what they had been through. Lucas was the same after he was able to confront Spencer about the events that had taken place. While everything was happening Spencer was trying to lie low the best that he could and act as a messenger between himself and their Commander. He refused to wear any of his gear and only carried a pistol on him just in case he were to be found out. In his circumstance, he was very lucky that he remained in the shadows of his senior officers. He was capable of walking through the streets unnoticed.

When Lucas returned to the barracks he found Keith sitting in a chair staring out the window. It was an eerie sight to behold. It was almost as if Keith hadn't even blinked since he had been sitting there.

"Look I understand how you feel. But you can't just sit there and do nothing. We should at least confirm that it was Jack who did all of this to begin with."

"That bastard did it and you know it," Keith shouted slamming his fist on the window sill.

"How are you going to prove it? We can't exactly bring Lana in to get a testimony, she is a wanted person!"

Keith realized that there was going to be very few people who would believe the story anyways. Jack was recognized as a hard working soldier of the M.P's. There was no way that any one would believe that he was torturing someone for personal gain, let alone torturing a Survey Corps soldier. At this rate, it would be believed that he was only doing his job considering how the Survey Corps are wanted men and women. They were mainly wanted for the death of the many Reeves Company employees alongside Dimo Reeves the head of the company. To which Keith and Lucas very well knew that, that was false information distributed by the Anti-Personnel Squad.

Keith got up from the chair and began to head out past Lucas.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Lucas asked.

"I'm going to figure this shit out whether you like it or not."

Keith adjusted his jacket and walked out. It was his goal to come up with a reasoning to put Jack behind bars for what he did. He wanted the proof that Jack was behind everything that had happened to Lana. In Keith's mind, he knew that Jack had every reason to go after Lana. It was well known that she was a valued titan shifter to the monarchy in more ways than one. For someone of her abilities she could also be considered a threat. In the eyes of the military she would need to be brought down or at the very least held into custody. However, that would put a dent into the supposed plan that Jack had with Madame Nina. The conspiracy theory that Keith had held onto since the minute they approached this new land was starting to come to a close. He felt that if the military were to get their hands on Lana, then Jack and Madame Nina would lose their opportunity of capturing her themselves. Therefore, they needed to get a hold of her as soon as they could. When they saw their opportunity, after a failed attempt by the elite squad, they took it. Keith felt that Lana was the key to this serum that Jack and Nina have been after.

Keith had approached the Doctor's home in the hopes that Lana was awake. He wanted to see if he could get any answers from her as proof of some kind. To him, evidence was evidence no matter how he looked at it.

"Keith, welcome come in, come in," Isaac welcomed Keith to his home.

A few of the Survey Corps remained and were waiting for their orders. For now, they relaxed the best that they could. A couple remained on high alert at the sight of Keith refusing to believe that they were allies. Keith tried his best to ignore them and directed his attention right to Lana.

At this time she was still not awake. Keith couldn't blame her at all. He knew of the type of struggle she must have gone through in order to make it out alive. Beside her bed was Levi asleep in the chair holding onto her hand. He didn't want to bother to try and wake either of them up so he decided to investigate the area where he had come across the group as they found Lana.

He walked down the street until he reached the spot. In the board daylight, he could make out the tiny traces of blood that remained and had yet to dissipate. It was at this point that Keith realized just how critical Lana's condition really was. That night there was blood all over the concrete not evaporating into steam as per usual. Now in the morning, only small specks remained. Keith knew he had to hurry if he wanted to try and figure out where she was held captive. He kept his head down and adjusted his glasses. He made out a very tiny trail that led away from the alley.

Keith followed the trail up the street until the trail ended. He looked up and around the area in search of some sign of a direction that she came from. As Keith gazed out at the surrounding area, he could make out no other signs or clues as to where she had been held. Out of frustration Keith climbed up the building beside him to try and get a better view of things. Once he reached the top, he looked out in the distance in the hopes that he would see something. Sure enough, his eye was drawn to smoke coming out of a chimney of a house close to the wall. It wasn't too far away, but far enough for Lana to feel safer before she collapsed. Keith decided to try the place out in the hopes that his thought was correct.

He calmly made his way towards the building slightly away from the town. As he approached his thought was proven correct at the sight of two men in uniforms. They were walking towards Keith on the path prompting Keith to duck out of sight. Thankfully they didn't catch sight of him as he hid behind a tree. As the two passed he was able to catch wind of the conversation that they were having.

"I still can't believe she managed to kill two of our guys in her state. We had to have broken several of her bones."

"Just think, if she was able to escape in her condition, then what would she be able to do when she is at one hundred percent."

"I don't want to think about it. Let's just find her and get this over with. She can't be too far."

As soon as the two soldiers were gone, Keith made his way towards the house. He peered through the windows and made out the chair that Lana was held up in. Some of her blood remained on the wood as steam filled the room. Keith could make out bats, knives, and various others weapons that were used to weaken Lana. He was horrified at the sight of it all. He couldn't imagine the hell that they put her through.

He quickly made his way back to the barracks to tell Lucas everything. He tried to fight back the anger as much as he could. He knew that there wasn't anything he could do at this point that wouldn't put a large target on his back. As Keith returned, he found Lucas fast asleep in his bed. He shook him awake in order to tell him what he heard and saw.

"Ok so now that you have visual proof that Jack and his squad captured Lana, what exactly do you plan on doing?"

"I'm not sure but Jack has to pay for what he has done. He hurt a member of his own family."

"So what are you going to do? Just go up to the Commander and say hey Jack tried to kill a member of our family who happens to be a Survey Corps soldier. Not to mention she is also a titan shifter."

"Well, no."

"Oh so, you're just going to tell him that Jack was trying to kill Lana in order to somehow get her powers and over throw the king?"

"No."

"Then tell me, Keith. What can you even do, because to me it seems like right now those are our only options other than just leaving it all alone."

"I can't just sit here while he gets away with it!"

"Neither can I. How do you think I feel! But I'm going to try and figure something out that will not cause any more harm than good," Lucas shouted.

Keith was quiet. His blue eyes glistened in the tears that started to form from frustration. The two of them sat in silence for a while. Keith remained at his desk as Lucas tried to get back to sleep. As night had started to fall, Keith abruptly stood up. It took some deep thought but he finally figured out what he wanted to do. He went into the wardrobe and grabbed his black cloak. He armed himself with a gun and a few of his daggers. The sound alerted Lucas from his sleep as he was concerned for Keith's own sanity after watching Nicolas fall to turmoil.

"Where do you think you're going at this hour?" He asked.

"Don't worry about it," he answered with a straight and calm face.

"No I'm going to worry about it. What are you going to do?"

Keith made his way to the door. He turned to Lucas and replied without any changes to his expression, "What I do best."

Keith had left Lucas alone in the room and began to make his way down the hall. He left the barracks and made his way to the house. He was focused, determined, and ready for anything. At this point there was nothing that would stop him. He knew exactly what he wanted to do at this time. He didn't care what anyone thought anymore. In his mind it was his responsibility to take care of things and make it all better. He wanted the taste of revenge.

Once he reached the house he was alerted by the few soldiers that stood at the door. They appeared to be on the lookout for any intruders. Without any falter, Keith kept his head straight forward and made his way up to the door. The two men tried to stop him and questioned what he was doing. In a blink of an eye the throats of each of the guards were slashed. Blood splattered on Keith's cloak as the two held onto their throats and began to bleed out. They each collapsed to the ground below as Keith threw the door wide upon. With a stern look on his face he gazed out at the shocked soldiers who were inside. All he wanted to do was find Jack and get things over with. He calmly closed the door behind him and once again gazed out at those sitting there unsure of how to respond.

"Where is Jack?" Keith asked calmly in a low stern voice.

"Who are you?" one of the soldiers asked.

Keith pulled out a gun and fired it at the soldier who asked. The bullet hit their soldier in the leg as they cried out in pain.

"I'm the one who will be asking the questions. Now tell me, where is Jack!" he yelled.

"Shit, isn't that Keith Aberdeen, the one who took down Vice-Captain Nicholas?" one of the soldiers cried out.

"It's not like you to go around shooting people. Then again, you do have the blood of assassins coursing through your veins," came a cool voice from the shadows of the room.

Everyone else in the room had drawn their swords and were prepared to fight at the command.

"What did you do to Lana?" Keith asked through his teeth trying to control the rage that was within him.

"So she survived then. I guess there is no use hiding it any longer then is it?"

"ANSWER MY QUESTION!"

"We tormented her. We watched the floor turn red with her blood. And all for the sake of a better future," Jack took notice to Keith's anger and began to toy with him. "What do you plan on doing Keith? You can't kill all of us. I handpicked everyone in this room to suit my needs and to achieve my goals. Everyone here is on my side. You're outnumbered Keith."

Keith looked around the room and counted eight other individuals aside from himself and Jack. He took into consideration of anyone else that may be hiding within the building or the surrounding area. He knew that survival at this point was slim. However, he knew that if he were to play his cards just right then there was a better chance of survival.

"Besides Keith, would you really kill fellow members of the Military Police Brigade risking your own safety? If they were to find out that you did it, then there is no way that you'd be able to return home to your lovely wife Robin and dear son Sebastian. Just think about that one before you do anything."

Keith began to lower his hands with the gun still held tight in his left hand. At the realization of what he had just walked into, he knew that there was no way he could get out of this without receiving some sort of damage to himself or his family. However, he knew what he wanted to do.

"Too late," he shouted gritting his teeth.

Just as he raised his gun up to shoot Jack in the face a soldier had charged and severed his hand. In excruciating pain, Keith had collapsed down to his knees and held onto his hand. Blood was squirting out from the wound as he cried out. He cringed in pain as he could hear Jack and the others laugh at his misfortune. However, Keith was not about to let this injury get the best of him. He began to control his breathing and thought about nothing else but the wound on his hand. He focused solely on the wound and continue to block out anything else that was going on around him.

The laughter in the room began to cease as they took witness to what was before them. No one knew how to respond. Steam had risen from the wound as a new hand had started to form. As Keith continued to control his breathing and focused, he stood up from the floor. No one moved as they watched. Keith's newly formed hand twitched in the steam as he held it out before them. It was only a matter of a couple of minutes for it to fully heal.

"What…what is going on?" Jack stammered.

"It's funny, you said that I couldn't make it out of this alive. Are you really sure about that? Let me tell you a story," he said with a chuckle.

Everyone in the room was too scared to move. They were unsure of what to do and whether or not it was worth the risk to do anything. One unlucky soldier decided to make a move. Keith saw the man out of the corner of his eye. He held up the new hand and proceeded to make a fist. A large sharp piece of bone began to take form from his hand. He grabbed a hold of the man that had charged at him at stabbed him with the bone digging into his chest. No one wanted to move at that point, they were all terrified.

"Years ago, my parents were put on the chopping block. Many went on to presume that the reason was the mere fact that they were assassins, or mercenaries if you will, to the Crovus Clan. The very clan that Madame Nina and Neal Sidonia associated themselves with for what they believed to be was the greater good."

Another soldier tried to attack Keith but he was faster. He struck her with extreme force across the face. She landed hard on a table, as blood had poured from the impaled wound she received in her face.

"However, that was not the truth."

Two more soldiers charged after Keith. He crossed his arms in and x like formation as bones to appear elsewhere on his body. The soldiers were immediately impaled by the bones upon impact. Keith shook them off and began to walk towards Jack.

"My parents were going to be killed because they were titans, and not just any titans. My parents were both pure blooded titans."

One more soldier charged after Keith. He responded by kneeing them in the stomach. As they lurched forward, Keith grabbed a hold of their head. With a great force, he twisted the head breaking the neck in the process. Keith dropped the body and stepped over it to continue towards Jack who remained still.

"On that day, I vowed that I would never ever use my powers again. My parents were killed at the hands of Crovus Clan members who were faithful to the righteousness of the Sidonia family. The same people I continued to grow up with. The same people who were the main reason why my family are dead. And for what, this supposed belief that they may obtain power. The same reason that I kept my abilities a secret. The very reason why Lana was hunted down! The very reason why she ended up in her condition!" Keith began to shout as he killed the remaining soldiers in a bloody mess.

Keith took his cloak off and ripped his shirt to reveal the Crovus Clan crest on his shoulder. He stared down at Jack, the only remaining person in the room.

"You are one sick son of a bitch," Jack proclaimed. "You talk all high and mighty but I can see it on your face. You love this. You love the adrenaline running through you. The blood that's being spilled. You can't stop smiling."

In that moment, Keith had become more aware of the grin that was strewn across his face. He did admit that he was enjoying the moment a little more than expected. It was a thrill a part of him loved.

He quickly shook it off and shouted. "Explain yourself now."

"You want an explanation?" Jack calmly asked. "For years, the Sidonia family was forced to live in the shadows. They were recognized as the Royal Sword of the royal family back in the days of the King LeBlanc. After the uprising, they were promised the hand of his daughter. However, things didn't go their way, and the daughter went missing. LeBlanc went back on his word as his next child was wed to a different family. The Sidonia's where denied their seat on the throne. They turned their back on the King after his betrayal. With nowhere else to go they turned to the Crovus Clan who had done some underground research. The research came right from connections within the castle. Once the connections were found out, those in question were removed. But the research didn't end there. They continued, they needed more. In order to get what they needed they required what pure blooded titans that they could get their hands on. They wanted the power to take their revenge on the King and gain their rightful place on the throne. If we'd known you were one of them this entire time, you wouldn't be standing here."

Keith stabbed Jack in the chest and remained still, missing his heart in the process to hear what final words Jack had to say.

"Madame Nina promised me power, she said she was too old to do anything with it. She promised that I would take her place especially after Nick had failed and Neal's heart became the best of him. With those two out of the picture it was my responsibility to bring the Sidonia family back. When we came to this place it was too perfect. Take over this land would just be the beginning, the tip of the iceberg. Once I was crowned king here, I was going move onto bigger things and create a massive empire. If you ask me, I'm glad I did what I did."

"By my hands I will use my power in the name of the Crovus Clan members who stood beside my family until the end. Möge deine Seele niemals ruhen," Keith stated as he dug his hand deeper and slashed his entire chest. In that instant, Jack was no longer among the living. He died with a smile.

Keith stood up from the dead Jack with a solemn expression on his face as the bones disappeared. He finally heard what he wanted to hear. At that instant he knew that Madame Nina and Jack were both after the pure blooded titans in order to gain power.

The door swung open as a frantic Nina entered the house. She was horrified at the sight that was before her. The smell of blood filled the air as she could do nothing but cover her face in response. Keith turned to her without changing his expression.

"Nina Sidonia, I Keith Aberdeen of the Military Police Brigade, place you under arrest for the murder of Jack Adder and his squad."

Nina quickly turned to run but Keith was faster. He threw a dagger and hit the back of her heel. She yelled out in her pain and proceeded to pull the dagger out. Keith lifted her up by the collar of her dress and began to tie her up.

Nina was charged for the deaths of all of the soldiers, including Jack. She pleaded innocence, but due to Keith's word, no one had believed her. He made up the story that he had followed her and that the squad was too trusting towards her. Keith refused to tell those in the circus what had happened. He just informed them that Nina was going to be away for a while.

As Keith returned back to his room, he continued to think about what he heard from Jack. All of his assumptions, all of the clues, everything that had occurred over the last ten years had finally started to come to a close. He finally was getting the answers that he needed.

"Where were you?" Lucas shouted.

"Taking care of things," Keith replied quietly refusing to look him in the eyes.

"This! THIS IS YOUR WAY OF TAKING CARE OF THINGS!"

Keith silently turned his head towards him as he had begun to remove the bloodstained clothes.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"I told you. I only did what needed to be done," Keith quietly said as he took his shirt of not caring about the mark on his shoulder.

"You're…you're one of them aren't you?" Lucas asked as he took notice to the emblem.

"Der Tod ist Schönheit"

"What?"

"Death is beauty."

"You're not making any sense anymore?"

"Does anything make any sense," Keith replied as he put on his uniform.

Keith, now fully dressed, made his way down to the cell where they kept Nina. She sat in the bed and refused to say a word to Keith.

He only stared with a straight face. He didn't say anything to her and waited for her to respond to his presence. It wasn't long before she approached the bars of the cell.

"Why," she whimpered. "Why must you do this to me? Your own mother!"

"Because you never really cared about me or the others did you. You only wanted us for personal gain. How many years has it been since you've gone through with this plan? It had to be at least twenty I was assume. It was a well thought out plan, I do have to admit that."

"And it would've all worked. I would have gotten exactly what I wanted if it wasn't for you!" she shouted slamming herself up against the bars as she reached out for Keith.

"I can get what you want. All you have to do is tell me everything."

She quickly pulled away from the bars. "How do you know what I want?"

"Let's just say in his last few moments of life, he said something about power. Some sort of power. Let's just say that, that power is much closer to you than it seems. Let's make a deal here. I want you to tell me everything that has been going on right from the beginning up until now. In exchange I will get you out of this prison cell and I well get you the power and rights you deserve."

She thought about the deal and responded. "My child, you are one crafty son of a bitch. But I shouldn't expect any less from filth like you. You have a deal."

Neal Sidonia was born to a family of five. He had a loving mother and father as well as two older sisters. The family was at peace with their lives. However, they were part of a family that held onto a long term grudge.

Long ago, the Sidonia family was the Royal Sword to the LeBlanc King. They were strong fighters and were well recognized within the kingdom. The Sidonia's were loyal to the king, however they wanted more. They didn't want to just be guards to the royal family. For years they kept asking for more but never received any. The Sidonia family were granted power once during the Great War, but never again when LeBlanc took the throne. Many of the family died due to the effects of the elixir that was created. LeBlanc refused to sacrifice anymore of his strongest fighters and promised them a different form of power instead. The power of the throne.

LeBlanc's first daughter was a halfblooded titan. Her hand was promised to the Sidonia family allowing them a seat on the throne. However, the young girl disappeared when the Weismann Prince attacked the castle, killing her mother in the process. LeBlanc remarried and bore a new human heir. However, due to the disappointment and lack of faith that had been established in the Sidonia family, the child's hand was given to a different family loyal to him. Angered with the decision, the Sidonia's began to disappear and hid within the shadows of the new kingdom. They were disowned and no longer the Royal Sword. No one heard from the Sidonia's again.

Years later, the grudge continued, however it began to dissipate from the minds of each generation that came. Neal Sidonia was among those within that generation that didn't care for an old grudge. He was there to live his life to the fullest. At a very young age he established a circus through his enjoyment of entertaining.

Neal had gathered many who shared his beliefs and began to create the Sidonia Circus. Neal's sister Amelia had married to a successful medical Doctor while his other sister Valerie had married a scientist of the LeBlanc kingdom. Valerie's marriage was arranged in the hopes of one day regaining that power that they Sidonia's deserved. Valerie gave birth to a beautiful daughter but died in the process. The distraught father began to inflict his pain out in within his work. His research was discontinued after a lack of interest of the current king. However, that didn't stop him.

The Doctor wanted to continue his research and wanted it to be the most successful work he had ever accomplished. He met those within the Corvus Clan who shared in the same dreams. Power, strength, and abilities that were thought to be a thing of the past. The Crovus Clan wanted nothing more than to become a powerful force to emerge from the shadows. Believing that they were going to be the strongest allies, Neal's father made a pact with them.

After the death of his father, Neal became the one in charge of the pact. Neal was told to gather information for the new found Crovus Clan allies. With this information, they would give it to the Doctor who would continue his research. Although he was against it, he didn't want to make them his enemies putting the circus at risk.

Meanwhile, Neal acted as the uncle he had always wanted to be after the death of his sister. He took care of the young girl who inspired to do great things. This allowed the girl's father to work on his research whenever he could using Neal to his advantage.

The young girl grew up studying medicine. She wanted nothing more than to be a doctor. However, after her father had passed she was under the custody of Neal and remained at the circus. The Crovus Clan refused to allow her to live with him, but due to the pact that was created they stayed at a distance. A new pact was devised between the two groups.

Neal was instructed to give them the final product of serum that the young girl would create, carrying on her father's work. In return, they would act as the sword and shield of the Sidonia family to take the throne that they felt that they deserved all those years ago. The two groups would rule the entire land together.

Neal wanted nothing to do with the pact. He disagreed with everything. However, at the risk of putting his new wife Nina in danger, he continued. The Crovus Clan threatened to kill the entire circus if he didn't comply with the pact. That included taking Caroline hostage.

After hearing about the situation that Neal was in, Nina wanted nothing more than to help him. She informed him that they needed to gather individuals to protect themselves and the circus if such a case needed it. Neal would travel overseas and continue to gather information for Caroline's research as well as information to share to the Crovus Clan. Meanwhile, Nina took care of their new adoptive son Nicholas.

Madame Nina disagreed with Neal's ideologies. She felt that the Sidonia's deserved the throne after all that they had been through. After being tossed aside herself, and living on the streets on her own, she wanted nothing more than to have power. She informed Caroline that she wanted no one else to have the power but herself in order to limit chances of disaster. Out of pure love for her aunt, Caroline agreed. She made a promise to her to create one serum that would give her the power to over throw the king. She hoped that by doing this, Caroline would live the life she had always wanted within the castle. She wanted to be treated like princess like in her father's stories.

Neal continued to gather information for Caroline to continue her work. He was reluctant each time, but he did it for the safety of everyone he cared about. Young skilled boys were brought to the circus years later as Caroline had come to a complete halt in her research. Madame Nina theorized that with these boys, they would be able to defend themselves from the likes of the Corvus Clan. Not realizing that Neal had brought in one of them under her nose.

With the pact that was developed, the Sidonia's would give the Crovus Clan any desired information in return for some work. Some of the jobs that were normally given to exclusive clan members were given to select individuals of the circus that enabled them to gather some funds. The jobs consisted mostly of thievery, but could also leave them with bloody hands. Those selected were the four young boys of the circus. It was the type of jobs that the Crovus Clan found to tedious to do.

When Lana had appeared before them in all of her glory it was then that things began to change. Caroline was convinced that in order to develop the serum they needed a pure blooded titan. Neal was afraid of what would happen to the young girl either way. He developed a plan to strengthen her ability to see how far she could go with her powers. He was hoping to wait until she was much older and allow her to at least live her life in the off chance that a sacrifice were to be made for this serum. After hearing about pure blooded titans disappearing around the rise of LeBlanc, Neal feared for the worse.

He had developed a soft spot for Lana. He wanted nothing more than her safety over everything else. His heart eventually lead to his demise. After defending her, he sacrificed his life. The distraught Madame Nina decided to take over as the head of the Sidonia's. The pact was brought into her name between the Corvus Clan and the Sidonia's. However, she broke the pact after refusing to give them information in regards to Lana and her strengths. Madame Nina severed the bonds that were shared between the two group believing that this was the only way that she could achieve her ultimate power.

As the years went by, she began to age. Caroline theorized that Madame Nina would eventually no longer be able to handle the serum after reviewing previous research done by her father and his team. Madame Nina decided that it was best to pass on the ability to her closest relative, Nicholas. However, Nicholas had developed strong feelings for Lana. His feelings for the girl outweighed anything else. He refused to listen to Madame Nina and therefore became her greatest failure. She had raised him to be the one to receive the power, and yet his love stricken blindness has caused him to lose sight of his own mother's wishes.

In the end Madame Nina decided it was best to turn to someone else who was loyal to her. Jack, the young boy who was cast out of his own village was the next on her list. Jack was willing to do anything that she asked. Nina promised Jack the power in order to get what was rightfully hers. However, there was no way of completing the research after the death of Caroline out in the lands beyond the walls. They needed someone who was well diverse in the idea. That was when Jack was introduced to the serum that was kept secret by the monarchy within the walls. It was believed that if he were to get his hands on the serum, then he would be able to do what they set out to accomplish.

Eventually a serum was brought to him. He was instructed to keep it safe. However, it wasn't long before a man had managed to steal the serum away from him. Humiliated, Jack had to inform Nina of his failures. Jack began to gather as much information as he could in regards to the serum. However, there was no luck at all. In the end he understood that a pure blooded titan was a key ingredient to perfecting it. He called upon those within his squad who shared the same thoughts as he did. A few intellectuals were able to figure out the research that Caroline had conducted. They devised up a plan to bring Lana close to them and take her by surprise. Once in the captivity, they would get any information out of her that was relevant to the Military Police Brigade and Nina, and try to extract her of her powers using the information that was found in some old documents.

"The serum would then be created and go to Jack so that he may destroy the monarchy so that I may rule. I Nina Sidonia am the rightful ruler. I deserve all of this!"

"No you don't. That's what you don't understand. The Sidonia family turned their backs on their king the minute that he chose a different family over them. They deserve everything that came to them," Keith replied.

"I held my end of the bargain, now let me out of here," Nina angrily stated.

"Very well," Keith calmly replied getting up from his chair. He reached down for the keys and proceeded to open the gate. As Nina was about to walk out through the door, Keith placed his hand on her shoulder and stepped in front of her.

"Don't think you are going to get out of this that easily. I can't let you just go running around plotting to over throw the monarchy. After all, what kind of soldier would I be?" he pushed her back a little into the cell. "With that being said," Keith continued pulling a knife from his jacket.

"You plan on killing me you filthy Crovus Clan rat!"

Keith was shocked by her statement. "You knew?"

"I knew this entire time. Neal was good friends with you father. I hated the idea with a passion. I couldn't believe he was going about making friends like that behind my back. When he brought your ugly little mug into the circus there was no way I could miss it. You look just like your father. The same smug look on your face was on his. The same smirk. You filthy Crovus Clan rat. I wanted to get rid of you myself if I could. But no, Neal stopped me that night you entered the circus. I was ready to kill you with my very hands. It was bad enough that we had the pact, but now we were harboring them into our own circus because he cared for your disgusting mongrel of a father. I was revolted with the idea."

Keith dropped the dagger at the sound of it all. He stared hard at Nina with an expression of anger. He was just mortified by what he was hearing, he was purely disgusted with everything. To believe that he was living with a woman who took care of him but hated him this much.

"Well, I guess I won't kill you as just a Crovus Clan member then. I will give you the same special privilege for everything. All of those years that we shared together meant nothing." He calmly grabbed a hold of her shoulder once more. "How many years was it for you to find a pure-blooded titan," he removed his jacket and grabbed her into a hug. "Well to think that I was living under nose this whole time." Large bone spikes appeared from his chest and pierced Nina.

Nina was in a completed state of shock to learn that Keith was a pure-blooded titan. She completely ignored the pain as Keith calmly pulled himself away from her. He picked up the dagger and created a few cuts on his body. He then proceeded to give Nina one final blow to the chest leaving the dagger in place.

"GUARDS!" he called out.

The guards were not hesitant to run in to see the dead body and the seemingly injured Keith. Keith explained to them that he was interrogating her within the cell only to have her get a hold of his dagger and attack him. He killed her in the matters of self-defence. The guards believed the story and removed the dead body from the cell.

Out of what heart he had for Madame Nina and Jack, he informed those within the circus about what had happened. Most were grieve stricken over the thought of losing someone like her. Others felt relieved after feeling the unwanted tension around her. It was believed in their eyes that Jack was killed by Madame Nina for not following her idealistic views of a perfect son. Keith and Lucas refused to tell them the full truth. They didn't want them to get involved any more than they were.

In the end, ten years of conspiracy had finally lead to a closing of the biggest chapter of Keith's life. He was unsure of what to do or where the road would take him. The only people he knew that were aware of the serum was the rightful king of the walls and those within his squad. Keith was finally able to relax. He believed that the worst part was over and that he could finally have a sense of normality again. He was able to return home safe to his loving wife Robin and dear son Sebastian.


	18. Nathanial Weismann

Keith removed his blood stained clothes once he got into the room. Lucas was leaning up against the wall with a look of anger on his face. The two shared eye contact with each other but no words were spoken. The tension in the room was extremely high as Keith continued to clean himself up. Once dressed, Keith began to make his way out to start the day with no sleep.

"You've gone too far Keith."

Keith stopped and closed the door so that no one else could hear the conversation that they were about to have.

"And what was I supposed to do. Just wait it out until something else happens?"

"You could have done things differently."

"Differently or not, I did what I did to protect the people I care about. All of the citizens even from what they were planning."

"They were family."

"No…they were never family. My family died years ago. They were just people who took me in until I can have a family of my own."

"Then what does that make me?"

"Look Lucas, none of this is going to change the fact that what I did happened. I had my reasons."

Lucas made his way towards Keith and placed a firm grip on Keith's shoulder.

"You are like a brother to me, you always have and you always will. I just want to be there for you. I'm concerned for your well-being."

Keith was silent at his words.

With a sigh Lucas continued, "And forgive you for everything. You did have your reasons, but as reckless as they may have been I'm just glad that you're safe and can return home to your family."

Keith stared into his eyes and was unable to comprehend the words he wanted to say. The two of them hugged for reassurance that they were in a better place in their lives now.

Keith and Lucas discussed what they were going to do now with their lives. Considering how they didn't have much of a reason to be within the First Squad anymore, they were debating on whether or not to resign. However, there was one thing that was brought up to both of them. Their concern for Lana was what was brought into the light. Her recklessness was on par with Keith's and they were afraid of what would happen to her once she was fully recovered. They understood the agreement that was made between the two of them and the Survey Corps, but they couldn't help but to think that something else was about to happen. They wanted Lana to be pulled out of whatever involvement she was in, but they knew that due to her stubbornness they wouldn't listen to her.

A plan was devised between the two of them. They knew that she was a fighter at this point in her life. She was willing to do anything for the cause she was fighting for and this even resulted in her near date with death. Lucas came up with the idea of having her be enlisted within the First Squad. This would enable her to be under their watchful eye, but allow her to gather some intel for her allies. However, the problem was their approach on the matter. Lana had the potential to be easily recognized by those who were at the site of the kidnapping mission. Another problem that stood in their way was the process in which Lana needed to go through in order to become a member.

"The only reason why I'm in the squad is because I got a recommendation from one of the current members, and you were joined because of that," Keith stated leaning back in a chair in the mess hall.

"So what if she had a recommendation letter."

"It can't be from us, we haven't exactly been here long enough to really have a say in much. I mean sure we were put on night division and developed a little bit of a reputation but that's about it."

"Then what if it was from someone who can't talk anymore," Lucas proclaimed leaning in and lowering his voice so that others couldn't hear.

Keith sat forward, "I'm listening."

"How good are your forging skills lately?"

"It's hard to say, it has been a while. Why, who would I be forging?"

"I'm thinking that if missy got a letter of recommendation from a certain Jack Adder, then maybe the entire infiltration process will go a lot smoother."

"Wait, forge a letter from Jack?" Keith sat back and thought about the idea. "I suppose I could do that, I'd have to study some of the documents he's written but I think it should be easy. But, we shouldn't have her go under her name."

"That's a no brainer. What if she went under a disguise, a full disguise, I'm not talking just changing her clothes or hair or something. I'm thinking we put in the recommendation for some random guy that could have been in Jack's squad."

"Put her in as a male soldier, I like that. I think I have a name that will work for her too, but wait what about the people who saw her. They know what she looks like, remember the transfer mission."

"Shit you're right. What are we going to do about that? A simple disguise won't do the trick."

Lucas say up straight and took in a deep breath. "How do you feel about getting some more blood on your hands?"

Keith was shocked by what Lucas was asking.

"What if there were more bodies found due to Nina's rampage."

"Are you serious about this?"

"Could also be at the hands of the Survey Corps. What the higher ups don't know won't hurt as long as luck is on your side."

"It is still early in the morning, I suppose I can make it work. There were only a few of them. Go see Felix and the others and tell them what is going on. I will take care of the problem. We'll meet back at Jack's office."

The two of them went their separate ways. Keith was more than ready to take the risk that he was willing to take. He had bloodied his hands more times in the last few months than he has in the last few years since being within the walls. At this point he didn't care as long as it was for the sake of his family and friends.

Keith and Lucas made their way into Jack's old office where they would pull out some of the old documents. Keith sat down at drew up a letter watching his movements so that they would reflect writing style of Jack. Through careful observation and slow movements Keith was able to complete a simple letter of recommendation that would be addressed to Kenny. The next point to their little mission was to address everything to Lana.

They approached Isaacs house to visit Lana dressed in their full gear and night guard attire. They could hear rustling inside the house moments before the door had opened. Isaac opened the door and was relieved to see the two of them standing there. He graciously let them in and confirmed that Lana was fully capable of moving around on her own. He called out for her as they entered the room she was being kept in. She pulled herself out of her hiding spot and limped towards the two of them. The sight of her was heartbreaking to Keith. The swelling on her face had gone down allowing her to see out of her bruised eye. A large stitched cut was promptly sitting across her face, but that wasn't it. Bandages, cuts, and bruises decorated her body as her smile shone bright. Even after everything she had gone through, she was happy to see her friends. However, their faces lit up at the site of her being ok. Keith was about to rush towards her to pull her into a hug but was stopped by Lucas fearing that he would hurt her.

"Are you alright?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah I'm fine. What are you guys doing here? How did you even know I was here?"

"We brought you here," Keith proclaimed. "We found you with Captain Levi and directed him here where we knew you would be taken care of well. Doc, I have to hand it to you, you really are good at what you do," Keith looked over to the older gentleman with a smile on his face.

Keith couldn't believe the impeccable timing that they had. Normally Isaac would be living within the capital. However, he was inclined to visit his home in Trost for the time being.

"Well, I mustn't take all of the credit. Lana's miraculous power was what truly saved her."

Keith turned back to Lana as she wore a questionable look on her face. She was vividly staring at them up and down. Keith was uncertain as to what was going through her head as she had begun to examine them. Keith caught on to what she was looking at. Considering how they were using different vertical maneuvering equipment and were no longer required swords, their current equipment would be deemed as a questionable one. Not to mention, they were not wearing their regular Military Police Brigade attire, but were wearing attire that they would wear on a normal day to day basis when off duty.

"We were promoted, sort of. More like reassigned really. But the Captain kind of gave us the duty of roaming around at night. So we decided to wear this since we had the option to. It was the best choice for us, but the others seem to like to call us the Shadow Hunters. Silly huh?"

Lana looked up at Keith and then back down to his legs where the dual swords would normally sit. She walked closer to them to get a better look at the gear.

"Where are your swords, I see you're wearing the maneuvering gear, but they should be connected to the hilts of a sword."

"That's what we thought to, until we were reassigned. It seems that the higher ups want to keep things very secretive around here. Very few people have access to these. We were lucky to be one of them." Keith remembered the blueprints that he saw when the idea of the device was first drawn.

She walked around both of them, closely examining every little detail. Her curiosity was something that Keith had always admired. Years ago in the circus, whenever she was hard at work and not digging her nose in a book, she was usually working on the equipment. She learned how to do repairs on minor things but it had become apparent that over the years her tinkering had become more. Her mindset was intelligent and she was willing to get her hands into anything to figure how it works and why it exists. That's what makes Lana into who she is. Keith could see the look in Lucas' eyes. He knew that he couldn't bare not to tell Lana the truth any longer. Sooner or later she was going to find out what they really are.

"We are part of the Military Police Brigade Interior Anti-Personnel Control Squad. We are ordered to kill Survey Corps soldiers if needed and apprehend any disturbances displayed by citizens of the likes," Lucas stated responding to Lana's curiosity.

"Mostly we are told to take down your friends," Keith proclaimed solemnly.

"What!" Lana said abruptly stepping back. She was horrified at what she was hearing. She didn't want to believe them, but the evidence was right in front of her face. "Then…then why didn't you kill any of my friends?"

"Because…any friend of yours is certainly a friend of ours," Lucas proclaimed.

"So…let's get down to why we are really here," Keith proclaimed.

Keith filled Lana in on everything that was going on. He told her about how they knew that Nicholas had been killed around the same time that Dimo Reeves and the Reeves Company had. Knowing that the Survey Corps was not at fault of the deaths of the Reeves Company, Keith deduced that Nicholas' death may have been at the hands of the Survey Corps. Lana confirmed that she was the one who had killed Nicholas in self-defence. She informed him of the entire conversation that had happened between the two of them. In the heat of the moment, Nicholas had tried to kill Lana in the name of love. Lana in the end protected herself by driving the blade that was directed at her into his chest.

In their moment of shock, Keith continued on about how they were brought to the squad. He explained that they were ordered to make an appearance. The captain of the squad had a record of the skillset that Keith had. He explained how they were tested in order to become members. Keith and Lucas lied to Lana about how long they were actually members of the squad, keeping it between the two of them that they were present at the time that the transfer of Eren and Historia had taken place.

As the two of them continued to fill Lana in on the events that had occurred, they both decided for the best to not inform her that Keith was the cause of the deaths of Jack and Nina. They informed her that Nina was the one who had killed Jack in spite of everything that had taken place. They received word that she was after Lana's power. By any means necessary, they were wanting to get it out of her. They informed her that there were documents that were stolen, research documents from the monarchy. They were going to use what they learned to power themselves from Lana's powers.

"She just wanted to use me?" Lana asked holding onto her tea cup.

"It appears so, but it seemed like she wanted the power herself. Her screams and yells almost sounded like she wanted to try and extract the power from you," Keith said unsure if she was buying what he was saying. However, in her eyes, it was almost as if she knew.

"Is that even possible?" Lana asked.

"I don't know, but it seemed like she was convinced."

"So how do you guys feel about all of this?" Lana asked looking up from the table.

Keith and Lucas looked at each other. Lucas was uncertain on what to say on anything. To him it was clear as day that they were in a mess. To Keith, things were only going to get better for them.

With a sigh Lucas replied, "We're hurt. Our family has fallen apart. Jack and Nicholas are dead."

"Felix and the others fled, we don't know where they are right now. They could be anywhere. I'm hoping they are at least in the Underground," Keith chimed in remembering trying to talk to them earlier that morning.

"So what do we do now," Lana said hanging her head low.

Keith looked over at Lucas who gave a slight nod, "Actually, we might have a plan for you."

Lucas reached into his jacket and pulled out the letter that Keith had forged. He unfolded it and placed it on the table sliding it towards her.

"We saw how much trouble your friends were in, but we don't exactly know the best way to help them. But you do. So Keith and I came up with an idea."

Keith watched her read the document and proclaimed, "I've gotten really good a forging over the years. I mean we probably wouldn't be where we are right now if I hadn't been able to skillfully draw up some documents."

Nathanial Weismann

Military Police Brigade

2nd Squad

This is a request to send an elite soldier to join the mission laid out by the Anti-Personnel Control Squad. Their exquisite talent and loyalty is proven to be a great asset to this squad. I wish to send this soldier to you in order to help the squad succeed in the capture and termination of the Survey Corps. They are highly skilled as a gunman and a well noted swordsman as well. Their speed and accuracy is proven to be excellent and they are gifted while in the air. Upon your permission please accept this soldier as a gift from the 2nd squad.

Sincerely,

Jack Adder

Squad Leader 2nd Division

"So, this is a document for a Nathanial that you drew up claiming that it's from Jack?" Lana asked.

"Not exactly. This document is about a request that I forged to look like a request from Jack in regards to an elite soldier going by the name of Nathanial," Keith responded trying to correct her.

Confused by Keith, Lana continued, "Isn't that what I just said?"

"What Keith is trying to say is that we want you to play the role of Nathanial," Lucas stated leaning in closely.

Shocked, Lana responded, "What?! No, there is no way I'm agreeing to this! How could I pull it off anyways they know what I look like."

"Actually…we found out which of the soldiers were present at the time of your capture," Keith said looking at Lucas, "Let's just say they were taken care of and aren't a problem anymore," he continued looking back at her. "Besides, with your new hairstyle and the proper clothes you can easily pull of as one of the guys no problem."

The plan was set into motion. It was planned for her to be before the squad that evening with the paper in hand. Lana borrowed clothes from Keith to play the part. She wore the cap that she had held onto from her friend Jean, and was suited up to look like a man. She wore a black vest and borrowed one of Keith's many buttoned shirts and black pants. To help prevent the risk of exposure the shirt was a little big on her and hid her curves very well. She wore a black handkerchief over her face concealing her mouth and nose but leaving the fresh scar promptly on her face.

When they approached the building, she was very nervous. Keith could see it in her eyes. She was about to walk right into the fire that was currently causing her friends grief. With wide eyes they walked into the room. Everyone was talking about the deaths that had taken place earlier that morning. Refusing to listen in on any of the conversations, Keith approached Kenny with a stern demeanor.

"Sir, I found this recruit and this letter addressed to you," Keith stated and handed the letter to Kenny. "This was among the many belongings of the late Jack Adder."

"I see, the same psycho who got himself killed by his even crazier step mother. How interesting. I decline."

Worried, Keith looked back at Lucas and Lana. He quickly looked back at Kenny sitting on the couch. "Sir, I greatly advise that you at least read the letter."

"FINE!" Kenny shouted snatching the letter from Keith's hands.

He opened it up and began to read what Keith had wrote. He eyed Lana as he read the letter. "So this is good ol' Nate huh?"

Lana responded with a nod as she glanced over to Keith. Kenny approached her and leaned very close to her face.

"We just had several of our men killed by the hands of the Survey Corps, do you really think you have what it takes to be a part of my squad…boy?"

Keith was concerned for her as the two made eye contact. However, it was at that moment that Keith realized what was going on. This was similar to what he and Lucas had gone through when joining the squad. He watched as Lana moved quickly and without further hesitation. She caused him to fall flat on the ground. In the process she grabbed a hold of his gun and pulled it out of its holster. With a quick instance, she fired a shot just missing Kenny's head. Everyone was on high alert as Kenny could do nothing but laugh. Through her serious eyes, Keith could see how relieved she was that the plan was working.

"Alright, you've proved yourself. Now hand the gun back and grab yourself a seat," he pulled himself off of the ground and grabbed Lana by the shoulder. Kenny pulled her close to the point where his mouth was by her ear, "Welcome to the squad Nathanial."

After an unsettling meeting to discuss the potential attack on the Survey Corps, the three made their way to the barracks. Lana had been to the Military Police Brigade barracks once before but never in the interior squad side. Lucas decided to turn himself in for the night leaving Keith and Lana by themselves. Keith had guided her to her temporary room. The room was empty with minimal furniture. There was a plain bed with one pillow and a blanket with an end table right next to it. A dresser was on the side of the wall by a window that had a mirror placed on top. At the far end of the room was a closet that was completely empty.

Keith sprawled on the bed leaving room for Lana beside him. She sat next to him and pulled down the bandana that had been covering her face all night.

"So…the plan is actually working so far," she said quietly in disbelief.

"Things will work out, I'm sure of it." Keith paused and stared at her. "You know sitting here reminds me of back in the day. How we used to sit together when we were kids."

She turned to him and gave him a small smile, "Yeah. You're right, although a lot of things have changed since those days."

"Yeah, no kidding. Oh did I mention that I'm married now."

Lana sharply stood up from the bed, "WHAT!"

"Yeah, and I have a son. His name is Sebastian."

"YOU'RE MARRIED AND HAVE A KID!" she screeched.

"Not so loud," he tried to shush her, "You don't want to ruin our entire plan!" He stood up from the bed. He reached down at the bag he had brought in and placed it on the bed. He pulled out a cloth and some water. "Things are much different," he continued as he turned to Lana and began unbuttoning her shirt. "Granted there were times where I thought that my future would end up in a different place but here I am now." He grabbed her by the shoulders and gently sat her down on the bed once her shirt was removed.

Her jaw remained dropped as she listened to Keith. "I've always wondered what could have happened if things had gone a different route. Don't get me wrong, I am completely happy with my life. But still, I've always wondered at what could have been," he continued pulling the bandages off of her to clean her wounds.

"I've always felt the same. I've wondered what my life would be like," she replied watching him gently wipe away excess fluids from her wounds as a small trickle of steam rose. "To be honest I've always wondered what life would have been like if I had just stayed with the circus. Stayed with you," she stated looking up at him as put more water on the cloth.

Keith understood exactly what she was talking about but didn't want to fully admit it due to the butterflies that were in his stomach. "What do you mean with me, what about Lucas and the others?"

"Come on Keith, don't play dumb with me. You're telling me that after all of these years you're going to tell me that there wasn't something there between us."

Keith quickly looked away and placed the cloth on the end table. He didn't say anything while reaching into his bag for new roll of bandages.

"Keith," Lana said quietly.

Keith closed his eyes and reflected on all of the times he had shared with her, all of the feelings that he had with her. The moments that he had cherished so much and kept him going. He opened his eyes and saw not the wounded woman that had been through hell and back, but the young girl who he laughed with in the tent late at night.

"I will admit it," he said slowly, "I did have very strong feelings for you. I was very envious when you were with Nicholas."

"That thing? There really wasn't much between us. Yes we've kissed before, but I couldn't share his feelings. Because…" she looked out the window across the room, "because I was afraid that my feelings weren't shared with you."

Keith grabbed her arm and began to re-bandage the wound. "It's funny after all of this time we are finally getting this off of our chest."

She looked back at him with a smile.

"Man I never even got a chance to tell you how I felt back when I really wanted to. Do you remember the time when we were throwing knives at the bear during the winter?" he said to her.

"Which time?"

"The first time you were working on throwing three at once."

She nodded with a small smile.

"I was so tempted to kiss you back then when I was fixing your posture. But I didn't, I chickened out and now I will never know what it would be like."

Keith cut the bandage off of her arm and began to rewrap the next wound. As he turned to work on her leg, she had grabbed a hold of his face. With wide eyes Keith's lips had met hers. He quickly pulled himself away and was shocked by her gesture.

"There, now you can say you know what it's like."

"I'm a married man!" he sternly said.

"Sorry, I was acting on impulse."

Keith realized what was going on. If that had happened to him ten years ago he would have been overjoyed. But things really had changed. There was nothing behind the kiss, nothing other than the reminder that he was married to Robin. He was reminded of his commitment and loyalty to his loving wife. Lana sat before him with an apologetic look on her face as he knew that she was just trying to make a joke.

"It's alright, but don't do that again."

The two of them continued to catch up with each other. Keith had learned of all of the friends Lana had made within the Survey Corps. He was happy for her and her new life. Things were going to be different. He wanted to be able to keep in touch with her, but he knew that was going to be much harder than he would like. What the future has in store for them is completely in the unknown. It was hard for him to even believe that she was going to make it out safe in the end.


	19. The Stars Align

The sun was shining on a beautiful summer afternoon. A cool breeze was a refreshing sensation on Keith's body as he laid in the green grass by a tree. The shade kept the sun's rays away as he woke up from his long nap. He sat up and stretched out his arms not remembering why or how he got there to begin with. He didn't care, he was enjoying the moment.

He gazed out at the sight that was before him. A person was running towards him waving their arms. He tried to get a better look at them, adjusting his glasses in the process. As they ran closer, he could make out a woman in a dress. He stood up from the ground and realized that it was Lana running towards him. Her long black hair was flowing behind her as she was frantically running towards him. He could make out faint yells.

"Behind you! Watch out behind you!" she called out.

He turned around and was faced with a bag over his head. He could feel himself being beaten and felt completely helpless. He could hear Lana screaming as he was knocked down hard to the ground. Things began to grow dark.

When the bag was removed from his head, Keith was in a room. Several men and women he recognized lined the wall. Jack and Nicholas stood before him with weapons in their hands. Keith tried to move but found himself bound to a chair. He fearfully looked around the room and saw that Lana wasn't there. He stared back at Jack and Nicholas as the two of them stood there in silence.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" he questioned them.

The two didn't respond.

"ANSWER ME!" he shouted lurching forward.

Jack swung his metallic weapon striking Keith across the face. His vision went blurry as his glasses were knocked completely off. The beating continued as each person in the room struck him a few times. Keith was completely helpless, no matter how hard he tried he couldn't gather enough strength to get up and defeat them. He wondered if this is what happened to Lana during her capture.

He was hit once again knocking him down on the ground below. He was dragged out of the room and outside into the warmth of the sunshine. His face was scrapped along the hard stone until he was brought to a wooden platform. He could hear the murmurs of people in the area, but couldn't make anything out. Keith was lifted up and unbound from the chair. Too weak to do anything, he was dragged up a staircase and onto the platform.

He was able to make out what was before him. A large chopping block was placed in front of him and a large crowd was bearing witness to the sight. He was kicked down to the ground causing him to kneel. Blood dripped down from his face as he tried to think of what to do next. When he looked back up, he realized that there wasn't just one chopping block but two others as well. He quickly wondered where the others came from and was concerned as to who they were for.

"What's going on?" he shouted his voice cracking like a young boy.

After hearing the sound of his own voice he quickly looked down at himself and saw his child like figure. One person was thrown on either side of him. He looked to his left to see a young woman with long burgundy hair. She looked over at him and gave a small smile. Although her face tried to light up with the smile, Keith could see the defeat that was on her face.

To his right was, a man with short blonde hair and stubble lining his face. He looked over at Keith with a solemn expression.

"Don't worry son, things will be ok."

"Dad," Keith quietly said recognizing the man before him. He turned to the woman, "Mom?" his voice cracked.

She smiled and nodded. Before Keith could do anything all three of them were dragged closer to the blocks before them. Their heads were brought down to the block with their necks sitting in the middle. Keith tried to get away fearing the worst. He wanted nothing more than to get away and save his parents, but there was nothing he could do. Keith watched the shadow of the man behind him as it raised the long axe over his head. The axe came swinging down to meet Keith's neck.

When the axe made its impact, Keith sprung up from his bed. He was greatly out of breath from the nightmare he had received. He reached for his glasses and noticed something protruding from his arms. Long pieces of bones had formed as a reaction to his dream. When he put his glasses on he looked over to see that Lucas was still fast asleep. Keith relaxed as he made the bones disappear from his body.

Never before had Keith had a nightmare that impacted him so much to the point where he didn't have control over his body. He wondered if this had anything to do with Lana being a bigger part in his life at the moment.

Believing that he wasn't going to get back to sleep, he got up and got himself ready for the day. He made his way to Lana's room to see if she was up as well. When he knocked on the door there was no answer. Slowly, he opened it and saw that Lana wasn't in her bed at all. However, she was still in the room.

When Keith walked in, he saw Lana curled in the corner. She was still in her pajamas as she held her knees close to her chest. Keith approached her calmly wondering what had happened to her.

"It was Jack…he was in my dream. I was…dying. He turned me into the Hunters who had placed me on the chopping block. No matter how much I screamed, no one was there to help me."

Keith was in a bit of shock at the huge similarities that the two dreams had. He knelt down on the ground and examined her body to see if there were any changes. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary which gave him a bit of relief.

It had been a couple of days since Lana had undergone the identity of Nathanial and joined the squad. Keith had taken it upon himself to introduce the newest gear that she would be using. As he figured, she was able to grasp a handle of it right away. Meanwhile, plans were devised to capture and detain Survey Corps soldiers. Word had reached the squad that the Survey Corps were planning on a rescue mission. It was a no brainer to them as they had detained Eren and Historia. They knew very well that the Survey Corps would do anything to get them back. It was their job to stop them and kill any who stood in their way.

Keith, Lucas, and Lana were wandering the streets waiting for the Survey Corps to arrive. Keith could see how on edge Lana was. He watched her frantically darting her eyes back and forth keeping watch for any sign of them.

"You need to relax or else you're going to blow it," Lucas broke the silence.

"Sorry, sorry, I just can't help it. I mean somewhere they are here, I can feel it."

"Just relax, everything will be fine."

A familiar whistle could be heard nearby which peaked Keith's interest.

"You guys go ahead, I'm going to check something out right quick."

Keith began to walk in the direction that he heard the whistle. He began to carefully scan the area for anything suspicious. It wasn't long before he caught a glimpse of the person who made the sound. Behind some crates with a dark hood over his head was Spencer. He was patiently waiting for Keith alone.

"Am I glad to see you," Spencer whispered as he anxiously scanned the area.

Every little thing set him off and caused him to look in various directions.

"Easy there. What do you have for me?" Keith asked.

"We have discovered the location of both Eren and Historia. Our current orders are to watch over the location. We have a squad up front with a wagon waiting to retrieve the two once the squad in the rear has them," Spencer claimed as he continuously watched the area.

"Wait you make it sounds like it's going to happen today."

"Because it is. We also found a way to reveal the perpetrators for the deaths of the Reeves Company employees. We plan on luring them out and having them say everything in front of the press. That way our names will be cleared and we can actually walk around."

"So all of this is going to happen today."

"Not all of it, the plans to lure the M.P's is still in the works. What do you have for me?"

"Our squad has been on high alert for a few days now. We are prepared for anything that you guys can throw at us. We have Lana in or midst so she's safe for now if she keeps her cover. You guys sure as hell picked a bad day for this. Eren and Historia are supposed to be transferred."

"Transferred?"

"Yeah, they're being brought to some church I think. I'm not sure, I didn't get all of the details."

"It may be the church that's in the Reiss' name."

"Maybe."

Gun fire can be heard in the distance causing Spencer to flitch drastically. Keith quickly looked around to see where the firing was coming from.

"Looks like the party has already started. I want you to stay here. Trust me, I will do all that I can to make sure that there are minimal casualties."

Keith quickly darted away from Spencer. He used his vertical maneuvering equipment and lifted himself up into the air. He soared past buildings until he caught up to others in the squad. Up ahead he saw an explosion. Immediately Keith used more gas and pushed himself forwards towards the explosion. He landed down in an alleyway and found a young girl lying on the ground. Her body was badly burned at the side where a bullet had hit her gas canister. She was unresponsive to Keith's calls but there was still life in her. He quickly picked her up from the ground and ran out to the street. Lucas wasn't far as he caught up with Keith.

"She's alright?" Lucas called out.

"For the most part."

"Damn that was quick thinking. Lana saw someone aiming at the poor girl and quickly fired at the canister so that she wouldn't die. It's almost as if she knew she was going to hit the awning of this building before the ground."

"Either way, take her to get medical help. I want to try and prevent casualties."

"You got it."

Keith passed the young girl off to Lucas and continued to make his way towards the commotion. The sound of gunfire lead him to a bar where there were many squad members hanging outside. They were all waiting for their orders as those who were happily drinking inside were escorted out by Lana.

"What's going on?" Keith asked one of the women standing near him.

"We've cornered Captain Levi."

"Seriously! Shouldn't we all go in there?"

"Nah, the boss said he wanted to take care of things himself."

Levi came crashing through a window and continued to maneuver himself down the street. Everyone was quick to follow him as he met up with the other Survey Corps soldiers. Keith remained where he was with Lana and Kenny right behind him.

"You're not going to pursue him sir?" Keith asked as Kenny stood next to him.

"We've already one my boy. What's the point in the chase when we've already won?"

Keith looked back at Lana as she keep a stern look in her eyes. Hatred was evident. The fire within her was strong enough to send chills up Keith's spine.

"I want you and Nathan to head back to the base. Let the others take things from here. Our job is done for today."

The Survey Corps had failed in their rescue mission as the Interior Squad had won the fight. There were few casualties. Although the numbers were low, it still was enough to create a large impact on the Survey Corps already low numbers. The young girl that Keith had found was brought to Isaac by Lucas. Thanks to his efforts, she was going to live with a few broken bones and a severe burn, but live nonetheless. Lana kept to herself for the rest of the evening. Keith didn't even want to try and talk to her, he decided that it was best to let things cool down. He couldn't imagine the things that were going through her head.

Keith sat in his bed and held out his father's gun. He was alone in the room which was a rare time for him. But it allowed him to reflect on the things that were going on around him. He grazed the letters that were engraved into the gun. He thought about the things that he was trying to do in the hopes of feeling like the good guy. He could see the corruption, the wrong doings that were around him. He could see the dark secrets that was destroying the very society that was within the walls. He remembered the world beyond them. The things that everyone was missing, the things he grew up with. He wanted to be able to bring that world to the people, to his family. He wanted to be able to show them the wonders of the world.

He calmly placed the gun in the holster of his belt and prepared himself for another sleepless night on patrol. He just prayed that everything would work out in the end. That things would finally come to a close and he could feel like he was living a normal life once more.

Keith decided to check in on Lana to make sure she was ok. He lightly knocked on the door and listened. He could hear her shuffling in the bed but she didn't come to the door. Keith knocked a little louder and proceeded to entire the room. He closed the door behind him and saw Lana sitting in a chair before a mirror with her shirt unbuttoned. She was quickly embarrassed after realizing what was going on. Keith could see the dirty bandages on her chest and began to walk towards her.

"I thought you'd want some help undoing those bandages maybe. I have a feeling that it could be tricky doing it by yourself."

Lana gave a small nod as she took her shirt off.

"So…how do you feel about all of this?" Keith asked as he began to cut the old bandages and remove them.

Lana hesitated as she grabbed her chest to cover herself as the bandages were removed. "Well…I…uh…"

"You don't feel right do you?" Keith continued as he began to prep a new bandage for her.

Lana let out a sigh of defeat. She felt wrong in every single way. She wanted to tell her comrades what she was doing but it would compromise all of what they were working on.

"You know it's ok to admit it," Keith said as he began to re-wrap her chest. "I'm the same way. I don't exactly agree with any of this, I'm just doing it to get by."

"Do you know where they are taking them?" she asked.

Keith stepped away once he was finished wrapping her. He knew he couldn't exactly tell her where they were taking Eren and Historia fearing that she would go after them.

"Not exactly," he turned away from her.

"What do you mean not exactly?" Lana lurched forward and made sure to make eye contact with him.

"Look, all I know is that they are being brought to Reiss," he stared at her.

"We don't know where but we do know that that's where they are being brought to. Any other information is going to be with the higher ups. Not us," came Lucas' voice from the doorway.

"You need to relax, I'm sure they will be fine. At least that's what I want you to think for now. There is nothing you can really do from here. Just keep playing the part for now. We will figure something out ok?"

Lana solemnly looked down and nodded in agreement.

Keith and Lucas left Lana alone and began to walk out of the building to begin their patrol.

"So what's the situation?" Keith asked.

"Same as what we were told. Several of their members were killed and collected the rest escaped. Spencer says that they've found a cabin and will rest there for now."

"At least most of them were able to escape."

"That's not it. I did some digging and found out that the two are being brought to the church that is in fact owned by the Reiss family."

"Ok, we already knew that though, that's what we were debriefed on," Keith stated as they reached the streets.

"But this is where it gets interesting. Do you remember that fiasco with Jack and Nina and the whole wanting to make a serum thing?"

"Of course, how could I forget all of that?"

"Well it turns out that the serum does in fact exist. There is an entire room dedicated to the serum. Apparently it changes a person into a titan. Once in that form they need to eat someone who is a titan shifter in order to become a titan shifter themselves and gain the other's powers."

"You're shitting me. How did you even get this information?"

"Let's just say you're not the only one who can creep around corners."

"You…you spied? You Lucas spied and listened in on someone."

"Yup. It was a conversation between old man Reiss and Kenny themselves. Reiss took a briefcase full of those viles and ordered Kenny to meet him at the church in two days. That's where shit is going to go down. He plans on giving the girl a vile of the stuff and get her to eat the boy."

"So what do we do now?"

"I think we should just hold off until we see Kenny on the move."

"Hey you two!" came a voice from behind them.

The two turned around to see one of their superiors within the squad.

"Pack it in tonight. There will be no patrolling for you two. Your duties have been passed off to someone else. Relax a little and take this opportunity for some well needed rest."

The next morning was a quiet one. Lucas and Keith were able to finally get a full nights rest without any worry. For all they knew they would be called out for a mission, but right now they were taking their opportunity and getting some well needed rest. However, their blissful peace didn't last very long. An abrupt knocking woke the two up prompting Keith to see what was going on. He opened the door and let out a loud yawn towards whoever it was that interrupted their sleep.

"Quit your yawning," came the cool calming voice of the person before him.

Through his blurry eyes, he was able to make out long dark brown hair and a piercing brown eyes.

"ROBIN!" he shouted with a squeak in his voice. "Robin what are you doing here," he continued lowering his voice as on lookers were watching.

"I should be asking you the same thing. Would you mind telling me exactly what is going on?" she replied with a stern look on her face.

Keith looked around and quickly grabbed her. He pulled her inside and shut the door behind them. Keith quickly reached for his glasses and adjusted them so he could see clearly.

"Robin, as much as I love to see you here, this is neither the time nor the place."

"Hi Robin," came the crackling voice of Lucas who was finally up.

"Hello Lucas I hope you've been well," she replied with a warm smile. The smile quickly turned to a glare as she stared down into Keith's soul. "Keith I want answers and I don't care what you think. I want you to tell me what exactly is going on around here. For example, why on earth you are in the Interior First Squad barracks."

"I got promoted, I told you that."

"Ok I understand that much but do you not realize what is going on! Are you really ok with all of this?"

"Well…No…no I'm not. I can explain, everything is just complicated right now and now is not a good time."

"Then when is Keith?"

"Look I don't know. I want to tell you, trust me I do. But it's complicated, and once everything dies down then things may start making sense. Please just understand."

"Then explain to me why a Survey Corps soldier came to our house and gave me this," she stated pulling a small envelope from her bag.

Keith grabbed the envelope and saw that it was a letter addressed to him.

"Wait, what Survey Corps soldier?" Lucas asked.

"He said he was a friend of yours. He didn't say much else, he just said that this was really important and to present this to you."

"Sounds like Spencer," Lucas replied.

"Something must be going down. Or they're just trying to lay low for now," Keith stated opening the letter.

"Robin I think its best that you just let us handle things for now," Lucas proclaimed as he got out of the bed.

"Just because I'm not one of you guys doesn't mean that I can't handle things myself. I am more than capable of kicking your sorry asses don't forget that."

"Yes ma'am," Lucas replied with a smile.

Robin left the two of them without any further questions. She knew that she wasn't going to be able to get any answers out of either of them and decided that it was best to try and not force it out. She knew that eventually they would come around and she would be able to know everything. Keith regretted keeping her in the dark but he felt that it was for the best for her and Sebastian. The less that they knew the safer that he felt.

Keith opened the letter and read what Spencer had wanted to say. He knew that there was a higher level of importance since he had given it to an outsider.

Keith,

I'm sorry for getting your wife involved in this, but due to the recent events I felt safer contacting you two through this method.

I haven't been able to speak with Hange about the serum that Lucas had discussed with me. So far I am the only member who has any knowledge of it. I'm currently in hiding away from the others for the time being and am waiting to regroup.

I do have one suggestion. I believe there may be some sort of information or research in regards to the serum located within the castle. That place has to have some sort of archive. Perhaps something can be found there. I highly suggest checking it out if you can.

Please get back to me as soon as you can if you happen to find anything.

For now, stay safe and stay alive.

Spencer.

Both Keith and Lucas decided that it was good idea to check out Spencer's idea. However, since Robin had appeared in their barracks, attention was drawn to them. People were beginning to give them odd looks as they passed in the halls.

The two of them made their way to Lana's room to inform her of what was going on. When they arrived they discovered that she was out on patrol with one of the other members. To their surprise, they were not informed that she had left at all without them. Keith was concerned that her cover would be discovered. Lucas made the choice of following Lana around as they were on patrol allowing Keith to check out the archives by himself.

Although Keith disagreed with the decision, he made his way to the castle. At first he was unsure as to whether or not he would be permitted access to the building. The building had high security and it was no surprise to him at all given the circumstances that they were in. Many soldiers surrounded the area as Keith approached. To make things easier for him, he wore his usual Military Police Brigade uniform and carried no weapons. On the cuff of his jackets were the badges that signified his ranks within the brigade. All he had to do was simply show the guards his badges and he would be granted access to the building.

Everything seemed to be going too well. He calmly approached the front of the castle and showed the guard the badges.

"What's someone like you doing in a place like this?" the guard questioned, eyeing him up and down.

"I just have work I need to do," Keith replied trying to walk past them but was blocked by a sword. "I don't want to cause any trouble. I just want to walk in and complete what I have been assigned."

"What exactly are you supposed to be doing here?" the second guard asked.

"That's classified information.," he shifted his eyes towards the soldier.

"Forget it, we're not going to get anything out of this guy. You Elites just think you have it all don't you. You have the status and the power and what do we at the bottom of the pole get? Guard duty and nothing else," the first guard cried out as the two lifted their swords up to allow Keith to pass.

As he walked past the two of them Keith replied, "Just be thankful you're not stuck behind a desk."

The castle was large and vast. Keith walked into an open area with beautiful white walls and gold accents. A marble staircase lead to the next floor with a hallway that over looked down below. Keith was floored to think that this was here the entire time. He never believed that he would set foot in a piece of art like this. He began to walk around and view the scenery that was before him. He continued his way up the stairs and explored the large building.

He found numerous rooms filled with various things. One appeared to be a study while another looked like a music room. He found many bedrooms and a library. He decided to check the library to see if this was what Spencer could have been talking about.

The room was quiet, but so were all of the other rooms. There was one thing that struck Keith as unsettling. Since he had been inside, he had not come across a single person. There was no one around. The only sounds that could be heard were his own footsteps on the floor. Something didn't feel right to him, but he continued his search. Keith looked over his shoulders as much as he could, feeling as though someone were watching him from afar. He began to question if there were people in here at all. He wondered what the guards were doing there if that were the case.

Keith walked down the staircase after finding nothing of use in the library. He turned a corner and began to walk towards a hallway. As he walked away from the staircase he noticed a wooden door on the side of the stairs. The door was locked with a large brass lock. This immediately caught Keith's attention prompting him to see what was inside. He made sure that there was no one in the area as he approached the mysterious door. He reached into the sleeve of his jacket and pulled out the lock pick and started unlocking the lock. It wasn't long before the lock clicked at the signs of his success.

With a loud creek, he opened the door once again making sure that no one was around to watch him. He made his way down a dark staircase. The smell of mould was evident that the door had not been opened in some time. Dust lined the air making it even harder for him to breath. Keith reached into a pocket of his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief to try and filter out the air. Keith could barely see anything that was in front of him as he made his way into the unknown.

At the foot of the stairs was light. It was dim, but it was light from a window outside. Keith had wandered into a room filled with old dusty books. This was exactly what he was hoping for. There was a small table sitting below the window covered in a large amount of dust. Keith questioned on how sturdy the chair that was there would be.

He continued to wander inside amazed at how well in tact some of the books were. As he scanned the shelves the sounds of mice scurrying about could be heard startled by the sudden appearance of another being. Keith carefully examined the spines of each book. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, they all looked like old journals and history text books. A couple of books appeared to show signs that the kingdom was well aware of the world beyond the walls. There were books on other lands, oceans, deserts, and much more. All of this was kept secret from the people. Keith was tempted to grab a few of the books to bring back with him, but knew that it wasn't worth it. Books like that were illegal, let alone discussing it. Even as an M.P he would be detained and questioned, and if that were to happen who knows what they would find out from him.

As Keith walked down an aisle there was a book that caught his eye. It was a dark leather bound book. The letterings on them was something he recognized well. He had seen them many times before. It was a language that no one within the walls could speak. However, this was a language Keith knew quite well from his parents. The words "Forgotten yet Remembered" were on the spine of the book. He grabbed the book and brought it to the creaky table by the window. He wiped the dust off of the book and was astonished to see what was on the front cover. It was the journal of Prince Emil Weismann, heir to the throne of Rhea.


	20. Prince Emil Weismann

Things were troubling times for us. I was unsure of how much longer the people would last while under my father's tyranny. I've heard stories from my mother of the peaceful times, times that were before my birth. The times before my father was king. Everyone seemed to be living in harmony. Those with extraordinary gifts lived with normal people. The land flourished with peace and everything seemed to be wonderful. That was until my father came into power. I worry that he will fall to the curse.

Father believed that normal people didn't share equality with people like us. Pure blooded Titans. He saw them as inferior beings. He would torment and ridicule them. It was disgusting to watch as I got older. I couldn't stand what he was putting our people through. I knew that the people couldn't stand it much longer either.

I tried to convince him to stop, but my words meant nothing to him. My dearest sister Serena felt the same way. She too couldn't stand for my father's actions much longer. However, her motives were much different from my own. She believed that we were not worthy of the gifts that had been bestowed upon us. She left the kingdom and pursued an uprising which would lead to our demise.

She befriended a man named Ulric LeBlanc from a different land, and that is where it all began. The man was researcher a man of science, he along with a few others used my sister. They used what they could get out of her and created a concoction unlike anything that I have ever seen before. Ulric had the ability of gifting someone the powers and abilities of a titan. They were fighting fire with fire and it didn't stop there. Although it seemed that this magical elixir's powers didn't last, nor did the person who drank it.

My sister used what powers she could and convinced other bloodlines to fall subject to these experiments. Ulric was able to create many types elixirs, each with their own properties. With this, he began an uprising. Those who fell captive to Ulric's experiments disappeared. I do not know what had happened to those poor people, but I do know that my sister had a hand in the matter.

Many people perished in this Great War. The kingdom was falling apart, and my father was to blame for everything. If he had simply acknowledged the people for who they were and not inferior beings, then we could have continued the peace and harmony. But, he created hatred and fear amongst his people.

It was my duty to prepare for the worst. I was to lead an army and prevent the uprising from occurring. But deep down in my heart I didn't want to face anyone in battle. No one deserved what was going to happen to them. It pained me to think about what we were going to face.

Ulric and his army infiltrated the castle. With the help of these newly transform beings, they were able to slaughter my father and mother. Even with their capabilities and those of the army, everyone perished. Ulric knew what to do to prevent us from shifting. He knew that by severely injuring our kind, we would be completely defenceless. The army fell to Ulric and so did the kingdom.

I luckily managed to escape and fled like the coward I am. I almost shared the same fate as many and I am thankful to be alive. I gathered as many survivors of the war as I could. We lived in solitude as Ulric took the throne from us. The war was over, and yet the battle was just beginning.

With my sister at his side, those of my kind were captured and fell subject to Ulric's experiments to perfect his elixir. Those who were fortunate enough, perished before more could be done to them. There were those who tried to survive and suffered because of it.

I couldn't stand it anymore. After months of just watching Ulric kill my people, I decided to take action. I fought my way into the castle. I did all in my power to try and take down Ulric by any means possible.

However, I met an unexpected face. During my trials within the castle I confronted my sister. She was the only thing standing in my way of taking the kingdom back. She was brainwashed with Ulric's ideologies that reflected my own father's. She felt that peace could not be obtained and that the humans were superior and our kind were unworthy creatures.

Without fear, she attacked me. I did all that I could to save her, but it wasn't enough. I killed my own sister. This war had taken much from me, and it had finally taken the last piece of my family from me. Never did I believe that it would be by my own hands. Her lifeless body resting in my arms will forever be engraved in my mind. May her soul rest in peace.

I was outnumbered and therefore was doomed to failure. I fled the area leaving her there on the ground. I located the research facility that Ulric had created within the castle. There were many who were chained up calling out for help. All suffered severe injuries. The smell of their blood was enough to make me feel sick let alone the sight that was before me. I wish I was able to rescue every last one of them, but I couldn't with Ulric's men right behind me. I destroyed all that I could that was in the room. All papers, all elixirs, everything within the room.

There were a few items that I grabbed in the hopes of preventing further advancements to Ulric's disgusting experiments. They were elixirs that were more important than the others.

In my journey out of the castle I broke several of the containers, but managed to keep one. I had located my sister's daughter and rescued her from her future demise. What I had done was reckless, I should have never done it. Then maybe my dearest Serena would be alive and my hands would remain clean. What needed to be done had been done.

My people were continuously hunted down. They called to me, but there was nothing more I could do. I was hopeless. I was a failure. I was also a coward. There was no way I would go through the castle again. There were so few of us. Many went into hiding and I was unable to reach out to them. Even with the gifts we were given, we were no match for Ulric and his knights. Day after day, the knights were on the lookout for me and the elixir. I had to do what I could to remain out of sight.

For my own safety I fled the country with the elixir. I travelled across the ocean into unknown waters. I knew that if I were to at least get off the continent, then maybe I could make a difference somehow.

I landed in a place I've only heard from father. Here I was able to start a new beginning, a new way of life. Here is where I met the darling Ymir. Her charm captivated me, but I was scared of showing her who I really was.

I gathered enough courage to finally tell her everything. I showed her my true form. She neither screamed, nor ran away from me. She was in awe as to what I was. The twinkling in her eyes was the first signs of hope. I decided that it was my opportunity to start all over again. I plan on giving her the elixir to be the sole protector of it.

With her help, we were going to create an empire. An empire that would be nothing like my father's or LeBlanc's. However, she was just a human and so were her people. It was going to be troubling times, but we came to a decision. It was in tiring journey to discover the components of the elixir that we came across a peculiar older women. She called herself a witch of the old ways. She was willing to help us achieve what we want but at the cost of one thing. In order to grant Ymir the full power of the elixir she must shorten her lifespan for the sake of the power. I was against it right away, believing that we would find other means. However, Ymir was more determined than ever. She accepted the offer and the witch gave her the new elixir. I went through excruciating pain to make this possible. Many tests were conducted before the final product was created. We did all that we could, and I'm thankful for it.

With the new kingdom underway I was looking forward to living a life here in this new land. However, there was one thing we both wanted to do before we could seal our fate. We wanted to travel to Rhea in the efforts of peace. It was a risk we were both willing to take.

It didn't take much for those to recognize me. We were brought before the now king of Rhea, Ulric LeBlanc. We spoke before him in the hopes that the two lands would find peace but what we faced was worse. We were discriminated for who and what we were. We were condemned as nothing more than worthless beings. Our efforts were proven to be a failure as we were removed from the castle.

We were lucky that he allowed us to live and return to our home. Once there we established the kingdom where Ymir would rule.

I wanted to create an army to better defend the growing empire. Using what knowledge I had from the witch we made the attempt to recreate the elixir that she had. I spent day and night, trying to find the right components used. There were many who assisted me.

We finally tested the product of our elixir and found that they had one disturbing effect. The person did turn into a titan, but there were several abnormalities to their figure. It was a mindless being, something of a nightmare. We had to kill them for the safety of the others. What we had thought was a full success was a failure. We needed to make modifications.

Before the man was killed, we learned that it responded to us. Mainly myself. It was drawn to me. We tried testing it on someone once more. When they had turned once again they were drawn to me more than the others. This enabled the others to inject the creature with various substances to see which one would turn them back. Once we found the right substance, we learned that it was the spinal fluid that had been extracted from me for the elixir that caused the creature to react. However, the amount was so small and only led to their death afterwards.

I looked to the witch for help once more. She was going to help me at the cost of one thing. I accepted her terms. She was going to create an elixir so grand that it would enable all of Ymir's people to partake. This was going to help Ymir achieve her dream of a land for her people of Eldia even at the cost of my own life. I will become one with the elixir that they will drink. Every part of me will be a part of them. The witch believes that my powers will help her people more connected than ever. This is more than even I could have hoped. A chance of a new beginning. For the people will now be my people and I will be with them. The witch says that they will not become titans. Even though they will not be as strong as a titan, together they will be much stronger. This was something my father was unable to do. Through my powers of connecting the minds of my bloodline, she will be able to rule the people in just ways. In theory it should work, and I hope to the Gods that for our sake that it does.

From here on out I will sacrifice myself in the name of the Eldian people. I believe that she will create a powerful Empire that will live in peace and harmony. Something that Rhea lost long ago. When Ymir partakes in the elixir, she should be able to harness my full powers. For Rhea, I will bring about a new kingdom through Ymir and save everyone who remain lost as she creates a better kingdom for her people.

In respect for the people of this land, this page will be written in the words of their own. I have come to this land to seek refuge from the tyranny that has become of my own kingdom. The banishment and disgrace I have felt from my own people is of disgust. The fear they felt from someone of a different kind has caused a disgraceful anarchy to rise. Out of fear, my people fought and our family fled. I hope that by leaving my homeland I will be able to create a kingdom glory of its name and without fear. I pray that my actions here are just. However, I fear that the kingdom of this land will fall just as my own has, for humanity is weak of the mind. I dare say it, but my words are true. I want to believe otherwise. I believe that in the right hands, this kingdom will surely flourish. I have the faith in the rulers to not make the same mistakes that we have made of our own kingdom. Fear was brought on to the people of our land from the abuse of our power. Be true. Be just. Be righteous. Use the power for good.

With that, I Prince Emil Weismann, grant all of my wishes and blessings to the people of this land in the hopes that you do not follow the same path we have.

Keith calmly closed the book and reflected on the words that he had just read. What he had just discovered was the starting point for everything. Like some cliché moment, everything that was going on in the world was related to each other. The disappearance of the pure blooded titans, the titan shifters, all originated from the same serum that was created many years ago. Keith almost couldn't believe it himself. He wondered if this was something he should address with the others. But then it occurred to him, he couldn't prove anything. The document was written in a language that they couldn't speak. To be able to say that he was able to read it would perhaps strike some sort of suspicion within them. He wanted to keep his own past a secret even after all of these years, but the journal in front of him opened many doors for them.

He wanted to know more, he wanted to see what else he could find within the archives. He wanted to know what happened to Prince Weismann, what happened to Ymir Fritz. With the recent history Keith deduced that the Prince had been eaten by Ymir to turn her back into a person again. But there was nothing that he knew that would clarify that. He believed that perhaps in Lana's research she may have found something that may relate to the documents he had read.

Keith began to hear footsteps approach the door. He quickly threw the book on a shelf and waited to see who was there. It was just the two guards that were at the front from earlier.

"Hey, what are you doing down here? This area is off limits."

"Sorry, I was just looking stuff up. I'll be on my way out, no harm done," Keith replied quickly walking past them.

He knew that at that moment things were going to be worse for him. After finding him in a blocked off area, questions were soon to arise risking himself and potentially his family too.

Keith made his way back to the barracks where he found Lucas tending to the kitchen as per usual. Keith quickly went inside and pulled Lucas out. Lucas pulled himself from his grasp and questioned his actions. Keith carefully watched the area as he made sure that the coast was clear.

"I know what happened," Keith began. He shut his mouth the minute he saw another soldier. He quickly grabbed Lucas' shoulder and guided him away from prying ears. "I know what happened to…Lana's kind."

"You're joking right?"

"No I'm not hear me out, it's hard to explain. But the pure blooded titans were experimented on. When LeBlanc took over and the titans began to disappear, they were to be subjected to experiments. Experiments that resulted in serums. Do you see where I am going with this?"

"Serums…so you think that the reason why the pure blooded titans were disappearing was because of the serums that were created here?"

"Not exactly, but there is a connection between the two."

"How did you get this information?"

Keith grabbed his face in frustration, "It's complicated. I found a book but…but the book isn't in our language."

"Then how the hell were you able to figure out what was in it?"

"Uhh…it…" Keith stammered.

"Keith if this is your way of playing some sick joke, I'm not having it. I have work to do."

"Lucas listen to me, I'm on to something here!"

"No, you're not. You're blabbering on about some crazy shit just to start something. This is the same thing that happened with the Jack ordeal."

"But look at what happened!" Keith shouted. He quickly scanned the area and lowered his voice. "I'm really on to something here."

"No Keith, I'm done. You can go about and get into whatever trouble you want to get yourself into. But unless you tell me the full truth, I am not going to have any part in this," Lucas proclaimed and walked away.

Keith couldn't believe what just happened. He was flustered. He was unsure of what to do next. There was no one who would believe him. Keith wanted to keep Lana in the dark about it fearing that she would be even more reckless than she already was. He was in complete disbelief that Lucas was behaving in this way. Normally Lucas was right there by his side, but something in him made him change.

Later that afternoon, Keith was in the weapons room maintaining his maneuvering gear. He didn't say a word to anyone about anything. He kept to his thoughts by himself. Lucas came into the room and leaned up against a couple of crates. Keith did nothing but look at him and continued his work.

"Look man, I'm sorry for earlier." Lucas stated. "It's just that…"

"It's just what exactly. You don't trust me anymore. I'm crazy, is that what it is. I am a reckless moron who wants to make the world a better place!" Keith abruptly said throwing his rag down on the ground.

"Keith calm down. I trust you, I really do. It's just that there are times that I wonder where your mind is. During the Jack ordeal I swear that you were completely obsessed with it. It was driving me crazy just watching you pace back and forth contemplating the conspiracies. I don't want you to go through that again. Besides, there is word that people think you're the next Nicholas."

"What are you talking about?"

"They think that you're going to be the next one to snap. I mean people think that already! You were there when Jack was, you know, found dead along with the rest of the squad. Not to mention the death of Nina too. You were there for all of it. When Nicholas went berserk, you were there. People are growing suspicious of you. It's even worse now that we are in the position that we are in now. Literally and figuratively."

Keith reflected on Lucas' words. He was trying to comprehend everything. Never once had it occurred to him what others may have thought about him in everything. He was just thinking for himself. He never realized the amount of talk that his actions had caused.

"You need to calm down with your conspiracy theories or else something bad is going to happen to you."

"Holy shit, you're right. This whole time I never realized any of this. I was only thinking about trying to put a stop to it that I never thought about the after math of things."

"Good, glad that we are finally on the same page."

"Listen, there is one thing though. Spencer told me to check out the archives within the castle. I did find it and I found the journal, the one I was telling you about. The journal was written in a language that isn't around here except for the last page. The journal had information about Emil Weismann heir to the throne of Rhea."

"If you said that it was in a language not from around here, how are you able to read it and know what's in it?"

Keith let out a sigh, he knew exactly that he couldn't keep the secret much longer from Lucas. After all, it had been almost twenty years since he had kept the secret from anyone within the circus. It was time for him to start coming clean with his past and now was his chance to do so.

"It's the language mostly spoken by those who familiar with the Weismann line. The language of the Weismann kingdom or the titan language even. I've been fluent in it since I could speak thanks to my mother and father."

Lucas gave Keith a questioning look. No matter what Keith could come up with, he knew that there wasn't much he could tell Lucas that didn't reveal who he was. He calmly walked up to Lucas and glanced around. After making sure that no one was near, Keith got as close to Lucas as he could. He lifted his arm up with his sleeve pulled up and stared at Lucas straight in the eye. A piece of sharp pointed bone began to protrude from his wrist.

Lucas' eyes widened at the sight. He took a step back as Keith began to retract the bone back into his body. Keith kept his composer as he waited for Lucas to say something.

"What the FUCK!" He shouted.

"Keep your voice down you moron!" Keith shushed Lucas.

"You…you…no…no…oh hell no."

"The reason why I can read and speak the language is because I am a pure blooded titan. I am of the Aberdeen bloodline, guardians of the Weismann family. On top of that, it was a common language spoken between Crovus Clan members. It was a way for them to speak to each other without others interfering and allowed them to communicate to people like me."

"Wait how would…for fucks sakes Keith you have one messed up past."

"The Crovus Clan took on the language to better connect themselves to the titans. They wanted to use whatever means they could to get the upper hand and gain power. It was a way to gain their trust. My parents and I were lucky and managed to keep it a secret. But that didn't last long," Keith solemnly looked down at his hands. He quickly looked back up and said with a laugh, "Anyways enough about me, tell me about yourself."

"Ok so you're telling me that this entire time you've been a titan shifter, a pure blooded shifter like Lana. You lived with your parents who weren't just assassins, but assassins of the Corvus Clan whose very desire was to obtain the power of the titans. Only to be put in the hands of a circus after said parents died who worked with the Corvus Clan, kept the secret about everything for eighteen years and continued to work with the circus knowing that it was working with Crovus Clan. The same clan that eventually vowed to capture Lana for her power, the very reason why Nina and Jack kept her to themselves. The very same titan abilities that everyone was after. You then went on a goose chance to this secluded place and trained to be a soldier designed to kill titans. WHILE STILL KEEPING THIS SECRET!"

"Well when you put it that way, yes that is accurate," Keith replied with a smirk on his face.

"Unbelievable. How…I…I don't even know what to say right now."

"Well I do have to say that you took it much better than Robin did. I swear I couldn't been in the same room as her for two weeks before she finally came around to accepting me again. I remember the punch to the face knocking a tooth out."

Keith sat Lucas down and told him everything. It felt good coming clean to him. After all of these years Lucas was going to be able to know Keith for who he really was. Granted things were going to be different between the two of them, at least there were no more secrets.

Finally Keith began to explain the contents that he had read in the journal. Things began to make more sense than ever to Lucas. Everything was starting to come together. All of the questions were began to mold into answers.

"Thank you Keith. Thank you for telling me everything."

"To be honest I wasn't really planning on doing this, it just sort of happened."

"So can I ask you one question?"

Keith nodded.

"So if you're this mighty powerful titan that can heal and has all of these strength, how come you have to wear those dorky glasses of yours?"

"They're not dorky!" Keith began to laugh. "To be honest I don't have the answers to everything. I can't see well without them. Who knows what it would be like if I were to actually shift?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I haven't exactly gone full titan in, well, over eighteen years. In fact I haven't even used any of my powers up until the last few months."

"Wait, it's been that long? Do you think you can still even do it?"

"Well, probably," Keith replied pulling his glasses off of his face to clean them. "I'm thinking if I tried hard enough I could. Or better yet it probably would happen in a fight or flight response. I mean, it's not like it goes away. This is who I am and I'm just thankful that I have things under control. For the most part."

"The most part?"

"Well, the other night I had a bit of an accident per say."

"An accident. What kind of accident exactly?"

"You know how sometimes when people have bad dreams they can injure themselves or something of the likes?"

Lucas nodded in response.

"Well, I kind of stabbed a lot of holes into my bed one night."

"So that's why you've been actually making the bed."

The two cleaned their maneuvering gear, had a few more laughs, and packed things up. Keith was finally feeling more relaxed than ever before. Lucas was very accepting of Keith and it made him feel much better about his life. Things were looking up and it all started with the journal of Prince Emil Weismann.


	21. Diamond in the Rough

After a long day off, Keith and Lucas had received news that was devastating to them. With the recent events, it had become imminent to most that an uprising was underway. Commander Erwin Smith of the Survey Corps was deemed the one in charge of the uprising considering his position. He was detained in a jail cell and was going to be sentenced to death. News broke out quickly to the people. Many feared that this was a beginning to a downfall.

Keith didn't know what to do. He remembered hearing the plan from Spencer about luring Military Police Brigade and having them reveal the truth in front of others. For the sake of their commander he hoped that they would go through with the plan sooner rather than later. At this point in time, it was too risky for either parties to communicate with one another. Keith could do nothing but just wait until a move was made.

After everything that was going on, Keith and Lucas both decided to check up on Lana before they retired for the evening. They wanted to make sure she wasn't going to do anything drastic after hearing the news of Erwin's sentence.

When they approached her door, they heard nothing. Keith assumed that she was fast asleep in her room. He gave a small knock and called out to her using her fake name. There was no response. He remembered what happened the last time he walked in and decided that it was best to just knock once more. There was still nothing on the other side.

"Well look at what the cat dragged in," came a sly voice from behind them that gave them both a look of annoyance across their faces.

"Go away Spike, nobody cares what you have to say," Keith replied.

"Oh, that's not very nice to say to the guy who got you into this place to begin with. Now tell me. What does little old Keithy want with little old Nathy?"

"It's none of your business Spike."

"Well, a little birdie told me that your dear pal Nate decided to go to the pub with Kenny and the others. You know, the one that the little rat of the Survey Corps wrecked."

"Wait, did you say Nathanial went to a pub?" Keith asked turning towards him.

"Mhmmm," Spike replied with a grin.

"Have they ever drank before?" Lucas asked as Keith looked back at him.

"This isn't good," Keith proclaimed as he began rushing down the hall.

"Wouldn't want dear old Nate spilling any information now do you?" Spike shouted at them as they ran down the hall.

"What do you think he meant by that?" Lucas questioned.

"Who cares, the guy is a creep anyways. He's probably just saying that to get a rise out of us."

Lucas and Keith made their way to the pub that fell victim to the fight that occurred just a couple of days ago. Windows were boarded up but the place was filled with the sounds of laughter.

The two of them entered into the warm building as many in their squad were happily drinking. Keith quickly saw Lana sitting at the bar with a glass of beer in her hands. She didn't move, didn't say anything. She just remained still as those around her caused a commotion.

"Let's just observe for now," Keith suggested.

"Agreed, she could probably use a moment to herself anyways."

Keith and Lucas both ordered a drink and sat at a table. The table was far enough to where they wouldn't interfere too much, but close enough to be able to hear anything. This would allow them to quickly jump into action in case Lana were to accidentally blow her own cover.

As they drank their drinks, young women walked around the bar coaxing the men of the squad. Keith kept to himself and intently watched Lana at the bar ignoring the women who had approached them. It didn't take long for the conversation to get interesting.

"Nathanial…tell me about yourself," came the crackling voice of Kenny.

Keith sat up and leaned closer towards them. He prepared himself for anything. Lucas was the same as he eagerly awaited to make a move.

"Kenny Ackerman…what would you like to know?" she replied in a low toned voice as she finished her drink.

Her ability to deceive everyone with nothing but her looks and voice was impressive enough. Her voice was on the lower end for a woman of her age and by lowering it even further, she could have fooled anyone into thinking she were a young man. Her petite figure allowed her to hide under clothes more fit for men, giving off the appearance that her defined curves weren't really there at all. It was quite impressive how easy she was able to pull it off.

"Ha, ha, you're something aren't you? Tell me, the story behind your scar," Kenny asked taking a swig from his drink.

Lana raised her hand for another drink after finishing her first. She calmly replied once the drink was in her hands, "Tortured." She paused and took a drink as the men around her were intently listening. "Let's just say my job as an M.P wasn't exactly what I make it out to be. I wasn't always an M.P either. My days started out as a Survey Corps soldier…"

Keith began to rise from his seat. He continuously feared for the worst. A firm grasp to his arm prevented him from moving any further. Keith looked over at Lucas who simply raised an eyebrow towards him. Keith made a concerned face and gestured towards her. Lucas did nothing but shake his head as he got up from his seat. The two approached her and stood behind her.

Little did Keith know at first, Lana was telling a complete lie to those around them. Although there were bits and pieces that were true, most of what she had said were lies. She told them of missions she had underwent within the walls. She informed them that she had never been outside of the walls. At that moment Keith and Lucas both made eye contact with each other and began to back off from her. To make it seem like nothing, they grabbed some drinks and walked back to the table.

"One day one of my missions went horribly wrong. I was still considered a newer recruit too. I was apprehended by after being caught trying to get into the main headquarters. They held me captive and let's just say things went south for me from there."

" tortured you," one of the men sitting next to her questioned.

"It was Squad Leader Jack actually. Before he was a squad leader that is. He was the one who gave me this scar," she stated reaching towards he bandana. She gently lowered it further down her face to show how large her supposed scar really was.

Keith noticed something was different about the mark on her face. A few days prior the mark dug much deeper into her skin. That evening it was evident that her healing had increased substantially. Keith was concerned that others would take notice. He watched the expressions of each person listening to her story. He studied Kenny's face intently and realized that something was not right. Kenny was too calm, almost as if he was enjoying the story that Lana was telling. Almost as if he knew it was a lie.

"In agreement for my life, I was to give up any information I had in regards to the Survey Corps or never return to them and be under the watchful eye of Jack. I chose not to speak…at all. It was to the point that I was placed under special missions within the walls again under the direction of Jack. In a way it was like I became a special assassin for them, taking out notorious criminals in a discrete manner."

"Seriously I don't believe you," replied the man sitting next to her as he went to take a drink.

In a quick flash Keith watched Lana spin off of her chair and grapple the man next to her. She spun him around into a hold and placed a knife up to his throat. Lana's face was completely cold.

"When the hell did she learn how to do that," Lucas whispered as he stood up from his chair.

"I don't know, but those are some serious moves. Heck that's something I could do and I was trained on how to do that," Keith replied getting up from his chair.

The booming voice of Kenny filled the room and replaced the tension with his laughter. Lana let go of the man as he quickly backed away from her holding onto his throat. She calmly placed the knife back in a holster and turned to Kenny.

"Ok…Ok I believe you I'm sorry," cried the man.

"So…you really took out some of the nasty criminals?" a man further down the bar asked.

"Yeah…all but one," Lana replied taking a seat.

"Oh yeah? Who, anyone we know?"

She calmly stared down at Kenny who sat at the corner of the bar. He sat there with a devilish grin across his face as he knew what she was going to say. "Kenny the Ripper."

Keith looked around as the room had fallen silent. No one dared made a sound. The silence was quickly broken by Kenny's booming laughter once more. With the reassurance those in the room began to laugh along with him. He was quick to get up and give Lana a pat on the back.

Keith was able to relax a little bit more after things had died down. The two of them kept a watchful eye on Lana as she got drunker and drunker as the night went on. Never before had they seen Lana drunk, let alone drink at all. The women in the bar had their attention to her as they began to crawl all over her.

The two were confused as they watched Lana letting these women touch her. They were uncertain as to whether or not they needed to stop them or just let things play out. The women and Lana sat at a couch in the corner of the room.

"So…ummm…what!" Keith questioned.

"My thoughts exactly," Lucas replied.

"Ok. So, is she really just that drunk or is she really into it?" Keith continued.

"Man I have no clue but either way those women are all over her."

"I wonder if…Nah. Well maybe."

"You don't think."

"She could be though, that's the thing. But I thought she had a thing for her captain."

"Honestly after what you told me today I am willing to believe in anything at this point. To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me is she was."

During their conversation they failed to notice what was going on. In that moment one of them women caressing Lana's body had gotten a little too close. In her sobering state, Lana realized what was going on and took it upon herself to strike. She quickly grabbed a hold of the woman's throat and slammed her into the wall hard.

"Woah!" Keith shouted quickly getting up from his chair.

He and Lucas both quickly grabbed Lana's shoulders as all eyes fell on her.

"Easy Nathanial, she didn't mean any harm. I think it's time we take you back to the barracks alright?" Keith proclaimed softly.

Lana let go of the woman's throat allowing her to flee with the rest of her friends. Lana pushed passed Keith and Lucas angrily while stumbling towards the exit. Keith and Lucas followed her out the door as she collapsed down to the ground in her drunken state.

"Incredible, her first time drinking and she holds a knife to a guy's throat and then goes and chokes a woman," Keith proclaimed as he picked her up from the ground.

"Come on, let's take her drunken ass back before she causes anymore trouble," Lucas replied as he began making his way towards the barracks.

Lucas decided to let Keith take things from here believing that it wasn't his place to interfere. He knew that Lana was in good hands. Keith dragged Lana into her room and dropped her onto her bed. She groaned as the world was spinning around her.

"What were you thinking?" Keith sternly asked as he began to unbutton her shirt that was now covered in vomit. "You could have ruined everything and it's only been about three days since you've been here."

"Shut up Keith," she replied flailing to get him away from her.

"Don't you shut up, me!" Keith angrily said as he felt like he was talking to a child. His tone of voice quickly switched to that of the father figure that he was. "You're an idiot for attacking that person. And don't get me started on your outrageous story."

Keith pulled fresh clothes out and began to redress her for the night. He forced Lana to sit up on the bed. She didn't look him in the eye but instead stared down at her lap.

"Look at me," he stated grabbing her face and directing it towards his. "You have to be more careful, if you're going to continue doing this." He let out a sigh. "You know Commander Erwin is sentenced to death right?"

He watched her face cringe at the reminder. He gently loosened his grip and examined the scar on her face that was almost healed. He knew that in order to continue the act any further he need to make sure that her appearance remained as it was when she first arrived. He reached down and pulled out a small pocket knife and decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Your healing has progressed even further. You need to stay still because this is going to hurt…a lot."

He calmly tilted Lana's head to the side and prepared himself for what he was about to do. With one hand he steadied her head and with the other he firmly grasped onto the knife. By using the cut as a guideline he dug the knife into her skin opening up the wound once more. Lana grabbed a hold of his leg in the process bracing herself. A small amount of steam rose from the wound as the blood dripped down her face. Using the handkerchief from his pocket, he applied pressure to the wound until it was healed enough for the bleeding to stop.

"Get some rest, ok?" Keith stated as she readied herself for bed.

He couldn't stand the look on her face, but he knew that what she was going through was rough on her. She wanted nothing more than to help her friends. Just like how he wanted nothing more than to protect his family.

That night Keith returned to his house and was greeted by his loving wife. Sebastian was in bed at the time but Keith didn't mind at all. He wanted nothing more than to be in the company of his family for the night.

The sun rose on a brand new day as its warmth found its way through the small opening of the curtain. It was peaceful enough to make everything seem like a bad dream. Keith held onto Robin in their bed as she dug her face into his neck. It was a quiet start to the day.

Sebastian had gotten out of bed and saw his father's boots by the door. The excitement in him caused him to yell at the realization that his father was home again. He ran into his parent's bedroom and jumped onto the bed disrupting the quietness.

"DADDY!" Sebastian called out.

Keith groaned at the pain of his son landing on his stomach. Robin sat up holding onto her face after receiving a small punch to the face in the process.

"Just five more minutes Seb," Keith replied.

"Keith, it's been two weeks since you've been home," Robin stated as she got herself out of the bed.

"Alright, alright." Keith sat up in the bed with Sebastian in his lap. His bright blue eyes were thrilled to see his father once again. Keith reached over and grabbed his glasses. Once on his face he turned to his son and with a smile said, "Here comes the titan!"

Keith grabbed Sebastian and began to playfully threaten to bite him. Robin rolled her eyes as she left the room to start the day.

The family sat down to a nice meal together. Once the meal was completed Sebastian played with a small toy that was given to him by Felix as Robin and Keith had a discussion.

"Has he shown anything at all since the last time I was home?"

"No, still nothing."

"I'm starting to wonder if he has any titan shifting abilities at all," Keith proclaimed looking over at him on the ground.

"I'm quite surprised if that were the case to be honest. But I guess there really isn't any way to know for sure."

"Well, there is one way we could find out if he has any," Keith looked back at her with a serious face.

"What are you suggesting?"

"An extreme indicator other than the actual shifting is the healing capabilities."

"KEITH FREDRICK ABERDEEN! You are not seriously thinking about harming our child!" Robin viciously shouted at him.

Sebastian stopped playing with his toy and stared at his parents with wide fearful eyes. Robin looked at him and tried to calm herself down to ensure that everything was going to be ok for him.

"It was only a suggestion. I'm not about to strike my son! But a way of knowing if he is like me is by seeing how fast he can heal compared to a normal person.

There was a knock at the door that prevented the argument from continuing any further. Keith got up from his seat to see who it was. Standing in the doorway, Keith was greeted by Lucas and Xander.

"Xander? Well if this isn't a surprise. Come on in. Robin you remember Xander from the circus right. He was Jack's prodigy."

"Oh yes, of course!" Robin replied with a smile as if the argument didn't happen.

"Actually I wouldn't really call myself Jack's prodigy as opposed to Caroline's. I feel like I learned way more from her than I ever would with Jack," Xander replied with a charming smile.

Lucas and Xander sat down at the table as everyone had caught up with one another.

Back in the time of the circus, Xander was assigned to Jack to become the next in line as the circus' animal tamer. However, due to the lack of interest on Jack's part, Xander was stuck by himself. He wandered about alone until Caroline took him under her wing. When Xander wasn't with Jack, he was with her learning all that he could and even assisted in caring for those who were injured or ill. Before everything had started happening within the walls, Xander had lived under the care of Jack. However, when Jack wasn't present, Xander was left alone by himself. In that time he had developed a deeper fascination for medical sciences. With Lucas' help, Xander was introduced to Dr. Isaac Tulp. The two of them hit it off and it was decided that Xander would become an apprentice to Isaac.

"Glad to hear that the old man is back in town," Lucas stated after hearing that Isaac was within Wall Sina for the time being.

"That's fantastic Xander, I'm happy for you!" Keith proclaimed with joy.

"Really, it's no big deal. I'm just glad that I am finding something that I enjoy. I hope to try and make a difference in this world."

"Well, this is just step one on your new journey," Lucas said as he gave Xander a pat on the back.

"That's not all. Did you hear that Nico and Nisha are planning on joining the training regiment?" Xander continued.

Keith spat out his drink at the sound of the news. Nico and Nisha, the token twins of the circus were considered to be the sweethearts of the group. Their bubbly personality could not be faltered no matter the mood. They remained positive and happy in any circumstance trying to see the brighter side of everything. During the turmoil of the events that lead them to the walls, they tried to put on a brave face the best that they could. They knew that times were rough but they kept their heads high knowing that good was going to come out of everything.

To hear that the two were joining the military was a bit of a shock to both Lucas and Keith. Keith was scared to see what would happen to either of them. After all of the events that had taken place, it became a great deal of concern that their safety would be jeopardized. Being in the military was a risk everyone was willing to take, no matter what faction you were going to be a part in. Lives are put on the line daily.

Before they could continue any further, there was a knock at the door once more. Robin and Keith both looked at each other wondering who it would be. Normally the only person that would visit them was Lucas or Robin's sister Alex. Lucas was sitting right in front of them and Alex would normally just walk in unannounced. Keith got up and decided to answer the door. Standing before him in a full Survey Corps uniform was Spencer. Keith was in complete shock, he quickly poked his head outside to see if there were any around who may see him.

"You obviously haven't heard the news have you," Spencer stated with a laughter.

"What news?" Keith asked.

"It's all over. Everything, is over. You guys aren't after us anymore."

"You're kidding," Keith shouted.

He invited Spencer inside as everyone was curious as to what was going on. Spencer had informed Keith about a plan that was going to be put in place. There was only one survivor of the Reeves Company massacre and that was the son of Dimo Reeves. By using him as bait, those within the first interior squad were lead into a destroyed area. It was believed that the area was uninhabited by the soldiers. However, even in its destroyed state many people still remained. Hidden away, they listened to the blatant confession alongside news reporters who caught every word. It was revealed that it was the Interior First Squad who had killed the Reeves Company employees. The reporters went against the monarchy and released the article for everyone to read. The sentence placed on Commander Erwin was lifted as the Survey Corps were free to walk the streets once more.

"This is incredible!" Lucas shouted.

"Fantastic even," Spencer added.

"SEBASTIAN!" Robin shouted.

Everyone turned to see the small boy climbing high up on a shelf trying to reach for one of his toys. Robin's yell caused Sebastian to let go of the shelf he was holding himself up with. He lost his footing and scrapped his head on another shelf on the way down. Keith was quick to get up and grab a hold of the crying boy. A small gash was on his forehead as Sebastian held onto it in pain. Xander grabbed a cloth from his pocket and started to apply pressure to the wound.

"Is the little guy going to be ok?" Spencer asked.

"He'll be fine. He just suffered a bit of a wound. Nothing a little bit of a patch won't fix. The bleeding should stop soon."

Sebastian continued to sniffle as Keith took over and applied the pressure to the wound keeping the blood from dripping down his face.

"What were you thinking?" Keith asked.

"I…I…I wanted my bear…to…show…Uncle Lucas," he replied between cries.

"Robin," Keith softly called to her.

She nodded and walked over to grab Sebastian and lead him out of the room.

"Poor kid," Spencer commented.

"You know what just occurred to me Spence. How the heck do you know where I live?"

Spencer went wide eyed at the thought. He silently looked over at Lucas and pointed at him.

Everyone shared a laughter as they were all able to enjoy each other's company. Spencer and Xander didn't stay much longer as they had other things they needed to do. Spencer had to return to Commander Erwin and act as a messenger for the time being. Xander was due for a couple of appointments alongside Isaac as part of his training. Lucas and Keith were left alone once more.

The two decided to take their opportunity and walk around town leaving Robin to tend to Sebastian's crying for the time being. She felt it was best just in case something were to happen. Although Keith was against it at first, Robin insisted that he went and enjoyed his day off.

The two walked around the streets and checked out some of the local shops. Everything was pleasant. Almost too pleasant for that afternoon. Something wasn't feeling right but Keith couldn't place his finger on it. It wasn't until they made it near the center of town that it occurred to him what was out of place.

"I haven't seen anyone from our squadron."

"Come to think of it, you're right. I haven't seen Veronica, Claude, Gil, or even snot nose Spike," Lucas continued.

"I haven't even seen Lana either. I know she was supposed to be on the afternoon route."

The two went back to Keith's house uncertain as to what was going on. There was no explanation as to where everyone was let alone what they were doing. Keith wondered if there was some plan that they were not included in. But then he thought about why Lana would keep it a secret from them. Things were unsettling once again.

When they returned to the house, Robin was sitting at the table with a blank stare across her face. Her chin was resting in her hands as she sat in silence with a cup of tea. Sebastian was sitting at the other end with a book and a pen happily drawing on the blank pages. Keith saw Robin's expression as she held onto her tea tightly.

"Robin, what's wrong?" Keith asked walking over to her.

Robin didn't reply with words, she simply nodded her head towards Sebastian. At the other end was the happy child sitting with his pen and book.

"Look daddy, I drew you!" he proclaimed holding up a poorly drawn image of him in his uniform.

However, Keith wasn't looking at the image, he was looking at Sebastian's face. Earlier that day Sebastian had received the large cut on his face. Now there was nothing, as if he never did fall. At that moment their questions had been answered. This was of a great deal of concern for Robin as she was unsure as to how to handle the situation. Keith walked over to Sebastian and held onto his face. He examined the area of his forehead where the cut was by moving his thick brown hair. His bright blue eyes stared back at his in great curiosity. Sebastian had no idea as to what was going on. He couldn't understand the situation around him.

Lucas watched as he quickly caught on to what was going on. He didn't know how to respond to either of them. No one even knew what was going to be in store for the family. For what was in front of them was not just a titan shifter, but it was a half human, half shifter. Although there were bound to be more like him in the world, a pure blooded titan shifter was a rarity on its own.

In Keith's situation, both of his parents were pure blooded titan shifters. There was a small group consisting of only ten people within this group. They were all pure blooded titan shifters. In Lana's case, it was bound to be the same. All though it wasn't confirmed one hundred percent, Lana lived to believe that both of her parents were pure blooded titan shifters.

"What are we going to do Keith?" Robin asked with her eyes watering.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do," he looked over at Sebastian who continued to draw, "We're going to be the best damn parents that we can be for him. We are going to do anything and everything that we can to make sure that he will be protected and that he will live a happy fulfilling life." He reached over and tousled Sebastian's hair. "I'm not going to let his powers define him like it has done to so many of us. All we can do now is simply wait and see what he is capable of, and when we find that out, I'll be sure to help him like my parents helped me. I will make sure that nothing bad will happen to him even if I have to risk my own life."

Small tears streamed down Robin's face after hearing Keith's words.

"I've been a terrible father. I need to be home more often, for both of you," Keith stated looking back at Robin.

"I'm scared of what might happen to him," she replied.

"Nothing will happen," Keith looked back at Sebastian who started to pick on the uneasiness in the room.

"Nothing will happen, especially with your old Uncle Lucas around," Lucas proclaimed trying to lighten up the mood as he picked up Sebastian from the chair.

A loud banging occurred at the door causing everyone in the room to jolt from the sound. Robin held onto her chest to calm herself down. Lucas held onto Sebastian as Keith sharply turned to the door. While being on edge, he slowly approached the door ready for anything.

"ABERDEEN OPEN UP!" came the voice of Nile.

"Commander?" Keith immediately questioned.

"What's going on, why is the weasel here," Robin replied walking up behind Keith.

Keith opened the door to meet the stern gaze of their commander and promptly gave the official salute.

"Sir, what's going on? It's not like you to just show up at one of our homes."

"I want both you and Lucas to gear up, we are in a state of emergency right now."

"Wait, what kind of emergency. Did a wall fall?"

"Not yet, but it will if we don't do something about it."

Keith quickly got himself ready as Lucas rushed home to do the same.

Word had arrived stating that a large titan had appeared within the walls. A titan much larger than the Colossal Titan was dragging itself towards the Orvud district. From the word that was received, Rod Reiss the true King of the walls had injected himself with a serum. The serum had turned him into the titan and was naturally drawn to the larger population. The titan was slow moving and due to the size, he was giving off an extreme amount of heat.

Rod Reiss had originally devised up a plan to give the serum to his bastard child Historia. With this serum in her possession she would transform herself into a titan and eat Eren Yeager. This would allow her to obtain Eren's abilities. However, it had appeared that while they were brought to the church for the entire process, something had gone wrong. While in the church the plan had failed leading to Rod to inject the serum into himself. Things were further complicated after it had become apparent that the Survey Corps as well as the Anti-Personnel Squad of the First Interior Squad were involved.

It was now Keith's and Lucas' job to maintain the peace within the city. They worked alongside other soldiers and prepared an evacuation procedure. They made sure to inform the citizens that it was just a simple procedure and that no one was in any real danger. The process continued right into the morning of the next day. Everyone was anxious as they were waiting for the titan to get close enough to the wall to follow through with a plan that was created.

Along the wall, the Survey Corps were given permission to counterattack the titan to prevent him from breaking down the wall and harming any of the citizens inside. When the time finally came, they followed through with a plan to blow the titan up. The large face of the titan cleared the wall with great ease allowing them to commence the counterattack. Using Eren Yeager's titan abilities, he shifted and threw barrels of gunpowder into the gaping mouth of the titan. The heat that the titan was giving off was enough to set the gunpowder aflame. In the process soldiers would swing towards the nape of the neck and end his life.

Keith and Lucas did all that they could to prevent chaos within the walls. They tried their best to maintain order as the Garrison assisted the Survey Corps with canon fire at the titan. The two approached the scene where it was happening as citizens were too scared to move. Just as they approached, the titan was already falling from explosions. The end was finally here.

A young girl landed in a wagon up against the wall with her blades still firmly grasped in her hands. She pulled herself from the wagon and stared at the people that were before her.

"Hey isn't that the girl, as in heir to the throne?" Lucas whispered to Keith.

"Yeah, I think so."

"I am Historia Reiss. The true ruler of these walls," She proclaimed.

"Well I'm not going to argue with her," Lucas replied.

Keith quickly looked over at Lucas as if he were an idiot "You know sometimes I wonder what goes through your head. I really do."

Things were once again peaceful. With the titan now declared as dead, Keith was able to return to his home. Both he and Lucas were informed that their entire squad was killed in the battle against the titan at the Reiss Chapel. With information from Spencer, they were relieved to learn that Lana was safe with the Survey Corps once again going under her own name and identity. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be back after realizing the lecture she was about to face. Either way, Keith was satisfied to hear that things were returning to normal once again.

Historia Reiss was taken in and was proven to be the true ruler of the walls after the fake king confirmed that he was living in a lie. Nobody argued with the fact once all of the information was revealed. There were many citizens who were upset over the fact that they were being lied to all of these years. However, with the events that were going on around them, there was a sense of relief that everything was coming out into the open. A sense of normality would return as areas of concern would be resolved. It was a time of peace once again. But how long the peace would last created an aura of foreboding.


	22. The Next Generation and the Final Bow

The horns were blaring as it was a sign of a new beginning. It was a dawning of a new day, a new chapter in everyone's lives. It was the day that the new queen would be named. Everyone in the barracks were hustling around as they were preparing themselves to maintain order and to ensure that everything was going to run smoothly.

Keith wandered the halls in search of Lucas, dawning his ceremonial uniform. It was a little tight on him since the last time he had worn it causing a bit of discomfort. A black double breasted jacket with the M.P emblem on the left breast and a pair of simple black dress pants with black combat boots and leather black gloves. It was a uniform not often seen or worn. For the special occasion Keith even combed his hair nicely and caused it to have a slicked back look. His black square rimmed glasses sat prominently on his face as he continued his search for Lucas.

The halls were busy with soldiers getting ready for the big day. People were excited and everyone was in a good mood. However, Keith couldn't help but to over hear some of the words of those who he walked passed. He began to notice that people were watching him as he walked passed them. He began to become a little self-conscious. He wondered if it was the uniform he wore or maybe there was something on his face. It didn't clue in to him until he heard a voice from behind him.

"CAPTAIN!"

Keith kept walking.

"CAPTAIN ABERDEEN!"

Upon realization, Keith turned around to see a fairly young woman approach him. She was a newer recruit that had joined the Military Police Brigade around the same time the Female Titan Annie had.

"Sir, the Commander told me to give these to you," she proclaimed with a bit of a stutter in her voice.

It was obvious that the young girl was nervous to approach him. She tried to keep eye contact but averted her eyes every now and again. In her hands was a small wooden box. He kindly thanked the girl as she was quick to return to her duties.

He opened the box to reveal a small gold pin. Those with any sort of ranking were given pins. When Keith and Lucas were both members of the Elite Squad, they were given a small pin in the shape of a bird with its wings out to be placed on the left breast pocket of their jackets. This symbolized their superiority to other soldiers. Squad leaders of any faction were given a pin with stars on it. Each star represented what squad number they were in charge of.

Things were different now. With the official Anti-Personnel Squad disbanded after the discovery of the death of Kenny Ackerman, it was time to move forward in a new direction. In Keith's hand was the first step to that journey. A pin in the shape of an eight pointed star representing his new rank.

"Congratulations…Captain," Lucas approached from behind placing his hand on Keith's shoulder. "How did you ever end up with this job?"

Keith looked over at him with a smile, "To be honest, I have no fucking clue. It just kind of happened all at once."

After the events revolving around the abomination that had become of Rod Reiss, the Military Police Brigade had conducted an investigation of the chapel alongside a select few of the Survey Corps. Keith and Lucas were among those to investigate the chapel. Inside the rubble, they discovered the remains of their entire squad. Keith and Lucas were the only documented members, therefore terminating the squad entirely. Lana had come clean about her disguise and was willing to face punishment. Keith and Lucas also faced the same fate, however the three of them were excused of their actions after their intentions were judged as a form of justice. Keith took it upon himself to create a report to clarify everything that went on within the Anti-Personnel First Interior Squad.

Keith had reported everything to the Commander. He informed him of all of their actions and the involvement with everything that was going on. At that point Keith was prepared for any sort of response, but the response he got was not what he had expected from all of it.

Nile was impressed with the work that Keith had done. He was wanting to see what else he was capable of. It was decided that at that point Keith would be promoted to Captain of the Military Police Brigade. He would chose select people to reform a new interior elite squad. Keith didn't want the position at all. He tried to convince the Commander that there were other people more suited for the job, but there was no way to talk him out of it. Keith accepted the position under a few conditions. He wanted to no longer remain at the barracks whether he was on duty or off duty. He wanted to stay with his family regardless of his duties. Nile had no problems with that at all and was happy to be able to allow him to be a family man. The other condition that Keith had was that the elite squad was to only be handpicked by him, enabling him full control over his squad. Nile argued a little on this condition but accepted the terms.

Keith stared at the gold pin in his hand as he was excited to realize that he had gone from a child of assassins for hire and a circus performer, to a captain of a well-established military. This was the start of his new chapter, his new story.

"So…Captain. Don't you think you should get going?"

"Cut it out," Keith laughed as he pinned the pin to his jacket.

The two continued to make their way to the castle where the ceremony would be held.

"So what kept you so long?" Keith asked.

"I ran into Xander. You would not believe the news he gave me."

"Oh yeah, what's that? Did he make some sort of medical discovery or something yet?"

"No, no. Although that would be something. But it's about Felix and the others. They resurfaced from the underground and want to get the circus back together."

"No kidding!" Keith said with a bit of excitement in his voice. "So I assume that Felix wants to run the whole thing?"

"I would assume so. The boy has guts I give you that. I'm not sure if he is cut out for it to be honest."

"Felix is a smart kid. I'm sure he wouldn't run head first into something unless he had a plan of action."

That day, Historia Reiss was named Queen. It was Keith's responsibility to guard her until his new squad was implemented. He had already selected a few individuals but nothing was finalized. For the time being he was to be on duty all day every day. With the Interior First Squad being under the direct monarchy it was Keith's responsibility to not only report to Nile, but to Historia as well.

That evening, Keith was in the castle as the sun was setting. It was quite as many were retiring for the night. Keith remained silent and away from the workers as much as he could. He didn't feel the need to touch base with any of them just yet. Everyone was tired and so was he. He leaned up against the wall and stared blankly out the window. He tried his hardest to stay awake but found himself nodding off every now and again.

A quiet voice broke the silence and startled him awake after dozing off.

"Excuse me,"

Keith stared wide eyed as a teenage girl stood in front of him. Her long blonde hair dangled passed her shoulders as she wore a night gown. Her blue eyes gazed into his in curiosity.

"My lady," he replied bowing down in respect.

"Please don't. It's embarrassing especially when it's just you and I here," she replied with her hands up.

"Is something wrong?" Keith asked her after he stood up straight before the new queen.

"No, nothing is wrong, I just couldn't sleep. A lot has happened over the last few days, it's hard to get any rest. You look tired, you should go home."

"I wish, but duty comes first. Besides you should get some rest, the dark circles under your eyes tell me that I'm not the only tired one here."

"I can take care of myself."

"I have every reason to believe so after what I've seen. But to be honest, there are a lot of strange things in this world we live in. You never know what a person is capable of."

Keith realized he struck a nerve in Historia as she quickly cringed at the thought. Something in her was hurting, but he didn't want to pry into it. It was none of his business and he wanted to keep it that way.

"I recognize you from somewhere else," she quickly proclaimed perking up a little bit.

Keith thought where she could have possibly have seen him. Aside from his job, there really wasn't much else for Keith. He didn't go out and about and the only contact he had had with the Survey Corps were through a small handful of people. Keith tried to picture where they could have seen each other before but couldn't quite put a picture on it.

"You were in that show. You threw knives. I'm sure that was you."

It dawned on Keith as to what she was talking about. A while back when they first had found Lana they had put on the reunion circus performance. He put together that Historia must have been one of those soldiers in the same squad as Lana.

"You were really good friends with here weren't you," Keith chimed.

"She's like an older sister almost. She looked after everyone."

Keith smiled at the idea of Lana taking care of everyone in the squad, much like how she tried to with the circus. Historia and Keith shared stories with one another. Even though Historia had only known Lana for a short period of time, it was enough to make a huge impact on not just her but to many others as well. The two sat on the stair case and chatted until the sun began to rise. They didn't realize that they had stayed up the whole night until the workers had woken up and began to prepare for the day.

The head caretaker was furious at Historia for staying up the entire night. Keith couldn't help but to laugh at the situation. However, his laughter had found a lecture for himself by the head maid. In the end, both he and Historia had a good laugh and were able to bond with each other. Things were looking interesting with the new queen. He was looking forward to working with her and the future that she will bring.

A few days had passed as Keith had finally established the squad he was looking for. Although he had wished for Lucas to be at his side, there were other plans in store for him. Along with Keith's promotion, Lucas had received a promotion of his own. Lucas had taken over Jack's squadron level and became a new squad leader. There were many newer soldiers who were bumped up to his level after the death of Jack's squad. They were terrified at the idea that they were within the squadron. With Lucas' humble approach their terror turned into relief.

With Keith's new squad in place he was able to focus more as a leader and be more at the Commander's side. His squad consisted of five people. Although it was considered small in comparison to others, these were people that were deemed worthy to work right by the royal family. Keith has high hopes of having more soldiers within his squad, but for now this was what he would work with.

Among them were Emilee, a soldier in her mid-thirties who was skilled in combat. She's well known for her stern piercing gaze that was enough to stop anyone from attacking. Leon, a refined gentleman in his late thirties. He is very straight forward and is good at keeping an eye on matters to ensure that everything is proper. Luca, a newer recruit who just barely became a soldier of their faction. Although being the youngest, he was once a member of the Garrison who was present at the time of the Battle of Trost. Out of all of them he was the only who had received firsthand experience with titans other than Keith. There was also Mia, a young woman in her late twenties. Her photographic memory has proven to be useful in many occasions. Keith insisted on her being the in squad to have someone designated to take down reports and be a messenger. Lastly there was Oscar. He is an older gentleman around his late forties. Before becoming a member of the squad, he was in the research division. Keith believed that having his skillset would be considered useful. On top of everyone in his squad having unique attributes, everyone was well recognized as being quick on their feet and always ready for action. They were the most experienced with fighting in one way or another and were all considered very intelligent. This was Keith's squad and he was happy with his choices.

It was an early morning when Keith was ordered into the Commander's office. He stood before the desk and awaited his orders.

"A member of the Survey Corps will be coming any time now. I want you to show him what we have."

"I'm sorry, what we have?" Keith asked confused.

"I want you to show him all of the schematics of the v.m.d that you in the anti-squad used and everything else that was hidden."

"If you don't mind!" came a cheerful voice from behind him.

Leaning up against the doorway with a sucker in his mouth was Spencer. His sly smile told Keith that he was ready for everything that Keith was about to throw at him.

"Everything?" Keith turned back to Nile.

"Everything."

Keith turned back to Spencer who had the largest grin on his face. His eyes completely lit up in excitement for what was about to be shown. Secrets that were withheld from the Survey Corps were finally going to be revealed.

They made their way to the engineering room where Spencer was thrown away by the excitement. The room was large and filled with various parts and machinery. Spencer almost couldn't contain himself with excitement. He immediately ran about the room touching everything that he could get his hands on. The engineers working at the time were annoyed by the intrusion but with Keith present, they remained silent and let Spencer have his fun. Eventually Spencer toned down his excitement and was able to get down to work. He observed the schematics and various blueprints that were stored. The head engineer described the parts and explained the functions of each piece. Keith was growing bored with everything. He had no interest in the engineering aspects of things anymore, not since his circus days. Even then, he left most of the mechanism maintenance to Lucas.

"There you are!" came Lucas' voice from the entrance.

Keith looked over and was surprised to see that Lana was with him.

"Hey, what brings you to our neck of the woods?" Keith replied with a smile.

"LANA!" Spencer shouted from across the room.

"Hey Spencer. I didn't know you would be here!"

"Special orders from the Commander. Do you see all of this cool stuff that's in here! The ideas are just coming to me. I have some awesome plans that I want to bring up to Hange and the others. I really think that doing this will benefit us."

"Don't work too hard," she replied with a chuckle at the sight of his over excitement.

"What are you doing here?" Keith asked again.

"I want to talk to you guys about something."

The three of them walked outside into the cool breeze. It was a cloudy day with the small hint of rain. They were sure to make their conversation quick before it began to pour down on them.

"I was at the training camps yesterday for recruitment and I ran into Nico and Nisha," she replied.

"No kidding," Keith replied with a bit of shock.

"Yeah, they said that they wanted to better themselves basically. They saw how hard you guys were working and they wanted to do the same I guess."

"Looks like they actually went through with it. Did they say what faction they were thinking of joining?" Lucas asked.

"They said Survey Corps, but in the tone of their voice I'm thinking they are going to lean more towards the Garrison."

With his arms crossed, Keith looked over at Lucas and gave a slight shrug. Lucas responded with a small grin in return.

"You worry too much. Those girls can handle themselves. I'm sure they know what they're doing.

"With that being said, how much longer are you guys on the clock for?" Lucas questioned.

Later that evening after the rain had subsided, the three of them approached a new development within the city. A large spaced was blocked off with a fence. The area was familiar and nostalgic to them. It was like looking into the past. Tents were strewn about for various food and activities. But the main event was the large stage surrounded by a colorful striped tent with flags dancing in the wind up top. A few were walking about wearing colorful and eccentric outfits.

The three of them walked into the newly established circus grounds. There were a few familiar faces but there were many who were new. They were the center of attention as they made their way past the main gate. No one questioned them, but merely stood in awe as the three walked by.

Up ahead was Felix with his light brown hair dangling in front of his face. The white bandages covering his eyes preventing anyone from seeing the scars that were underneath. A young girl close to his age stood next to him with a clipboard in hand. Felix was giving out directions to a group of people as the three approached him.

"Felix!" Lana called out to him with excitement.

He turned towards the sound and was delighted to hear who was there.

"Violet will you please continue. I trust that you know what to do."

"Yes of course," the girl replied with a quiet voice.

"So what are you three doing here, how have you been?" Felix said with a smile.

"We're doing great, and I see that things seem to be doing well around here."

"We're just getting ourselves ready, there isn't too much planned at this time." Felix gestured to the ground behind him. "Please come this way, let's talk."

Felix turned around and began to walk. Lana calmly placed her hand on his shoulder to assist him, however he quickly stepped away from her.

"I'm thankful for your gesture, but there really is no need. I've walked into just about everything around here enough to know my way around without any help."

Felix led them into a tent that had various supplies in it. He pulled up a crate and gestured the others to do the same. They all walked in as Felix prepped himself for the conversation that was about to come down on him.

"You guys don't think I can do it," he came out and said what he thought.

The others made eye contact with each other as there was a little bit of uncertainty that came among them from the tone of Felix's voice. They looked back at Felix as he unwrapped the bandages that covered his eyes. The long scar that went across his face and clouded eyes broke Lana's heart every time she saw it. Keith placed his hand on her shoulder as she grimaced at the sight.

"Felix, it's not that we don't believe that you can't do it. We have complete faith that you have what it takes. We just want to make sure that the circus still holds onto what makes it what it is," Keith stated sitting down on a crate directly in front of him.

Felix let out a sigh, "Believe me, I know what you mean. A bunch of the others didn't exactly agree to me stepping up, but somebody had to do it. I want the circus to remain the same just as much as you guys, but that's just not possible. The Sidonia Circus lived and breathed with the acts that you guys did. I mean the Sidonia Circus became known as the circus with the flying lady, the boy who never missed his mark, the strongest man alive, and so on. But we don't have any of that. Heck, I don't think that we can call ourselves Sidonia Circus anymore since none of us are related to Neal or Nina."

"What are you implying Felix?" Lana asked.

"I mean, I want to turn this circus into something new. I still want to hold onto the same value that we created, but I still want to make it our own. We don't have Nina anymore to do that. We just aren't the same."

The three looked at each other for reassurance.

"Are you proposing that you change the circus?" Lucas asked with a bit of concern in his voice.

"I still want to keep the acts relatively the same. But I want to think of this as the next generation of circus performers. So, what I am asking you guys is your blessing to rename the circus and make it my own. The values will be the same and the performance too, just a little bit of changes here and there. To give it a refreshing look you know?"

It was at that point that it was decided. All worries were thrown out the window as everyone was assured that the circus that they held dear was going to be just fine. It was the next generation taking over and it was finally time for them to officially step down and watch it flourish once more. Sidonia Circus was then dubbed as The Odyssey Circus. Their past was still there but things were different no matter which way they saw it.

It was decided that they would come back to the circus and perform with the new acts. It was a way for them to pass down the torch to the next acts as well as finally retire from the circus and move on with the lives they have established.

They all said their goodbyes for the time being. The three walked out towards the main gate with hope in their minds. Things were looking good for everyone.

"Daddy!" came the shrill voice from nearby.

Keith turned to see Sebastian running towards him.

Lana mouthed the word daddy to Lucas in a bit of astonishment. She remembered Keith mentioning his son but never really believed him. Lucas had to smile at the sight as Keith picked up the young boy and swung him up above him.

"There's my strong fighter! What are you doing here?" Keith said with excitement in his voice.

"He wanted to check out the new circus in town," came Robin's cool calming voice.

She walked up to him and kissed his cheek as Keith held onto Sebastian.

"OH! Robin, this is Lana. Lana this is my wife Robin and my son Sebastian."

"So this is the woman I've heard so much about. It's a pleasure to finally put a face to the name," Robin said with a sly tone in her voice as she held out her hand.

Lana was taken off guard by Robin's approach feeling almost as if she was under a predator vs prey type of situation. The intimidating presence caused her to step back a little. With uncertainty she returned her hand for a shake.

"Pleasure," she replied to her with a bit of wavering in her voice.

Robin smiled and turned back to Keith. She calmly turned back, her eyes were like daggers piercing at every inch of Lana. Keith took notice to Robin's almost hostile behaviour. It didn't take him long to realize that the amount of times he had talked about Lana had put a bit of a damper on the relationship with his wife.

"SO…Sebastian you wanted to see the circus!" Keith shouted trying to break the tension.

"Yeah daddy! I wanted to see the people do cool things!"

"Yeah! Well maybe mom and I can take you to see a show when they do one ok!"

"REALLY!" Sebastian's face lit up.

"Really!" Keith replied with a smile.

"DADDY I WANT TO BE JUST LIKE ONE OF THEM!"

"Well maybe for your birthday Uncle Lucas, Aunty Lana, and I can show you around the circus."

"CIRCUS, CIRCUS, CIRCUS, CIRCUS!" Sebastian cheered.

The three of them were given time off in order to prepare for the show of a lifetime. It was going to be their final hurrah as circus performers. Nico and Nisha were also permitted to participate in the show. The two girls prepared new uniforms for everyone who was going to be performing alongside the new costume crew.

Through their hard work and efforts they were able to come up with a final routine that would emphasize their abilities as soldiers and their love of performing. It was decided that they would conduct a battle between each other representing each one of their factions. At first it was only decided that things would be played out and that they wouldn't go to their full strength. However, things took a different turn when the time came to be up in front of the audience.

Posters were laid out in around the town for the entire week before the show. Although they only had a short amount of time to prepare, it was a spectacular sight to see.

Keith stood back stage wearing his green shorts and white buttoned up shirt. His green feather dangled down from his green hat with the Military Police Brigade badge in the center. He stood next to Felix who was clearly nervous. He kept adjusting the cuffs of his collard white shirt. His black dress pants were well kept along with his brown hair that had been gelled back out of his face. He wore a small red bow tie that was a little loose around his neck.

"Don't be nervous, you'll be fine…Ringleader," Keith said with reassurance in his voice.

Felix turned to him and let out a sigh. He quickly turned towards the stage and made his way out to welcome the full house. There were many soldiers present to see their comrades perform. It was quite surprising to Keith to see how many people he recognized.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the grand opening show of the newly named Odyssey Circus."

Keith watched as the crowd began cheering and whistling. Excitement was coming over him as the adrenaline of the show made him want to smile. There was nothing weird about the show, no trick, nothing. It was just a regular show. They weren't requested to thievery, there wasn't anything suspicious going on. It was only regular good and fun entertainment. Keith's gaze changed to Lucas and Lana on the other side of the wings as Felix continued his introduction. He could tell by their faces that they were both anxious to be up on stage again.

Lucas pulled on his green suspenders as he was eager to go up once more. His vertical maneuvering device proudly sat at his sides. Lana was promptly stretching as she was wearing the newly made costume for her. Unlike Lucas and Keith, hers greatly resembled the Survey Corps. It was a green body suit laced at the back like a corset. Green and blue fabric decorated her hips to mark the colors of the Wings of Freedom. In short notice, the twins were also able to create a small set of wings that looked like the Survey Corps emblem.

"Now ladies and gentlemen. I present to you, our main three veterans," Felix called out as he stepped outside to allow them to make a grand entrance.

Keith and Lana ran across the stage doing a round off. When they met at the middle. Keith twisted himself in the air as Lucas had used his maneuvering device to hoist himself upwards.

The music was blaring as Keith and Lana danced to the beats. Lucas held out his arm as Lana ran towards him. She grabbed a hold of his legs and cartwheeled on his body as he helped guide her to the other side.

Although they had all aged, their adaptability and flexibility still remained. Keith did a back handspring as if he was back in his teens. To all of them, they were really reliving their youth once more. It was nostalgic to them being up on stage, like nothing had changed.

Keith and Lana continuously danced around each other and Lucas or were thrown in the air together by Lucas. Even though time had passed, their fluidity and movements together as partners had never changed. It was all the same.

After Nico and Nisha had performed their dance routine with ribbons in their pretty Training Corps themed dresses, it had finally come to that time of night where all of the soldiers would show of their skills. Keith, Lucas, Lana, Nico, and Nisha stood before the audience with dual swords in hand wearing their uniformed jackets. They all stood up straight with no expression on their faces. Poles were set up on the stage that would allow them to use them as a method of defence or attack.

Earlier in the week a basic routine was planned out. They were to show off their skills. However, they had all come to an agreement that it would be a fight with a winner. It was anyone's game.

The first note hit as they all began to make their move. Lana was the first to make contact. Keith was astounded by her efforts as she was quick to attack Lucas. Nico quickly turned and saw that no one was after Keith. She quickly pulled herself together and ran towards him. Their blades made contact causing him to take a step back to prepare himself in defence. He used his entire body and pushed her away from him. He didn't use his full strength knowing that he would easily over power the young girl but he was still impressed by her strike.

Meanwhile Nisha and Lana were battling it out allowing Lucas to make his mark. He turned to Keith with a grin and charged at him. Keith was ready with a strategy. He turned around and made his way towards one of the poles. Using his muscles in his legs he bounced himself upwards between two poles. He was quick and nimble, something Lucas was unable to perform. With a cheeky smile, Keith looked down at the hopeless Lucas. Nico wasn't far behind him. To his surprise he turned to meet her gaze. She jumped from the pole she was on causing Keith to jump down in defence. Lucas held up his blades which allowed Keith to jump on them. Lucas used his strength and threw Keith up into the air. The crowd was going wild at the sight of their fight.

When Keith landed, he crossed blades with Nisha who was starting to run out of breath. With incredible speed he was able to disarm one of her swords. He casted the sword to the side and was about to strike her to cause her to submit. However, before he could do so, he heard the yells of Lana behind him. Lucas stepped in between the two of them facing Keith causing her to attack him from behind instead. However, Keith was caught off guard by something. It was the intensity in Lana's eyes. She was lost in the fight. It was evident in the out of breath Nisha who knelt on the ground for a brief moment. Nico was on the ground after receiving a hard blow to the chest from Lana's elbow as she had charged after Keith.

Nisha darted past Keith charging at Lucas. Nisha's distraction gave Lana the room to dive in between his legs and past him. She kicked herself upwards landing the blow to Lucas' stomach hard. At that same moment that Lucas began wincing in pain, Nisha was swinging her sword. In that span of time Lana had grabbed a hold of Nisha's arm and swung her around. With Nisha's back now turned towards her, Lana grabbed the hilt of her blades and slammed it down hard into Nisha's shoulders.

Nisha fell to the ground in pain as Keith was unsure of what to do. They had lost Lana completely and there was no understanding as to why. She was a skilled fighter and it was almost as if instincts were coming over here to be the one on top. He quickly wanted to stop Lana before anyone else got her.

He charged at her with great speed and strength. With no expression to her face, she stepped aside. Keith easily fell for the trick. As he passed by her, she swung her leg striking his hand. The move caused him to lose his grip on his sword. He hit the ground and quickly turned to hold up the other blade. However, the minute he held the blade up, his hand made contact with the hilt of her blade causing him to be disarmed once again. While on the ground, a blade was calmly held up to his throat.

As he could feel the cool metal up against his skin, Lucas had fully recovered. Keith remained still for a minute reflecting on what he saw. It was enough to send chills up his spine. This was not the same Lana as before. Things had changed, she had changed.

As Lucas charged after her, she was quick to hold her other sword up. Lucas was responsive enough to stop where he was before the blade drove into his own neck. At that moment with both Keith and Lucas held up and with Nico and Nisha on the ground, Lana was declared as the winner.

The cheers of the audience caused her to come back to normal. The fire within her eyes were diminished as the sparkle returned at the sound of the yells and whistles.

They made their way back stage holding onto themselves in aches and pains. Although Keith didn't receive any injuries himself, he was still hurt inside at what he experienced.

"That was not cool, somebody could have seriously gotten hurt Lana," Lucas proclaimed as he winced at the pain in his stomach from the kick.

"Speak for yourself, my head is still spinning," Nisha replied holding on to her head.

Violet calmly gave her a cold pack of water to help with the pain.

"Why are you guys getting mad at me for that?"

Keith leaned up against a pole and remained quiet for a moment.

"Wasn't that kind of the point the performance, to attack each other?" Lana cried out in defence.

"Not with full strength. You took it too far," Keith replied walking up to her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

The sternness in his voice was enough to cause her to shut down. She looked around at the others who bore all the same expression on their faces. They were all angry with her. If they had known that she was going to be like this, they wouldn't had gone through with it.

"During practice we all agreed that we wouldn't go all out and we did. But not tonight. I don't know what came over you," Lucas stated grabbing a cup of water and taking a sip from it.

"Look I'm sorry guys, I guess I just wanted to show off a little."

"Its fine, what happened, happened," Keith replied with irritation in his voice.

Keith walked off and prepared himself for his turn in the performance schedule. Despite his injury, Lucas still performed his strongman routine. As Keith waited in the wings, Felix stood by his side.

"I wouldn't think much of it," Felix stated quietly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Think of it this way. It's almost as if she doesn't know any better. I mean she is just now getting to that point in her life were things are starting to feel normal for her. She probably just doesn't understand."

"How would you know, you didn't see what she was like."

"That may be true, but it doesn't take just eyes to tell that she is not the same. And I'm ok with that. She will learn just like the rest of us. It was a simple mistake on her part, but no one got seriously hurt did they?"

"No but they could have."

"Don't you think that she would have done things a little differently if she were really trying to hurt you guys? To be honest, I don't even think she was using her full strength even without her powers. Trust me that's something I'm glad I would never see."

Keith continued to go about his performance with Felix as his helper. The words that Felix said hung deep inside him. It was almost to the point of distraction. However, Keith's aim remained true as he threw his knives on the board that Felix spun on. He moved onto a bow and arrow. The words still taunting him.

The idea that Lana was much stronger than she was. She wasn't trying to show off, she was trying to prove to herself that she was no longer weaker than them. That she was their equal. With the thought of Nico and Nisha being stronger than her, it may have set her over the edge a little. Keith remembered the many times that they had, had to come to her rescue. With her time with the Survey Corps, she was gaining the strength and experience that was making her much stronger than what she was before. She was ready to let go of her old self and leap into the new horizon that was before her.

As the crowd cheered after Keith's performance. He gazed out into the audience and found Robin and Sebastian sitting. Sebastian was excited to see his father up on stage. His jaw was dropped in amazement as his eyes sparkled. Lana may have her route to prove that she was no longer weak, but Keith's route was a different story. He was going to be there for his son. The next generation of Aberdeen's. He had much that he wanted to pass down to his son. As he took his final bow, he made his way off the stage one last time.


	23. The Survey Corps

It was late in the evening. All was quiet and there were minimal people walking around at the hour. Keith was sitting at a desk one again grimacing at the paperwork that was before him. It was almost as if nothing had changed for him. Even though he had a higher power and influence within the brigade, things seemed to be just the same. Almost as if none of the events that had happened, happened.

A newspaper sat on his desk with the heading, "New Rise for the Survey Corps". It was no surprise that the Survey Corps had gained popularity. After all the things that they had gone through, they deserved the type of attention that they were getting. Commander Erwin Smith became the new face of hope along with his notable soldiers such as Captain Levi and the shifter Eren.

Although the Survey Corps were deemed a more popular faction, they were still relatively small. After the events against the Military Police Brigade's Anti-Personnel Squad, their numbers had decrease substantially. They had taken many loses from the battle along with the low numbers from traveling within titan territory.

The popularity was a blessing in disguise for them. Along with the increase in hope and determination in them, they gained more interest from surrounding factions. Those from the Garrison and the Military Police Brigade were putting in their requests to transfer into the Survey Corps. The flooding requests meant more and more paper work for Keith to review. Keith sat staring at what almost seemed like endless pages of transfer requests from their faction when a knock came from his office door.

"Enter," he called out to them.

A small nervous women walked into the room with a piece of paper in her hands. She quietly walked in and placed the paper on his desk.

"Not another one," Keith whined at the sight of the document.

"No sir, I…I'm not transferring like the others. I…want to resign. I want to be able to work with my father."

Keith grabbed a hold of the piece a paper and saw the name written on the top of the page.

"Doctor Anna Tulp… from the medical division. Wait Tulp? You're Isaac's daughter aren't you?"

She nodded.

"How have I not met you before? I'm a good friend of your father's."

"Well, I was never stationed within the city. I was always stationed within Wall Maria until the wall fell. Then they pushed me to Wall Rose."

"I see. So you want to be working with you father?"

"Yes, It seems he has taken on an assistant and I want to be there working alongside him to eventually take over his practical examinations. I'd rather it stay within the family sir."

"Wait, you're referring to Xander."

"You know him?"

"I grew up with Xander, so to speak. Trust me Xander is a great guy. He won't do anything that would harm your father's work. However, if this is what you want…" he let out a sigh, "Then I accept you resignation."

"Thank you sir," she bowed and began to walk out of the room.

"Anna!" He called out to her, "Just know that what you're getting yourself into is…well a much different environment than what you'd find around here."

With the recent changes in Keith's life, he made sure that he told Isaac the truth about his origin. For the sake of his son, he wanted to make sure that they were able to keep their identities hidden the best of their capabilities.

Robin had been making frequent visits with Sebastian to see Isaac. This allowed Isaac to conduct studies on a half breed such as Sebastian. Keith would occasionally go in himself to be examined without any hassles and to further his research. A request from the Survey Corps was given him to develop a method of extraction for spinal fluid. Lana would undergo the occasional procedure for the research he was conducting.

During medical examination time for all soldiers, Keith was granted permission to visit Isaac and turn in what he was able to report. Granted the report was manipulated a little bit to indicate Keith's identity was as a normal human. How Keith was able to get by without Isaac around still astounded him. He was able to control his healing rate to the very tee to keep his secret hidden from others. There was no telling what would happen if there were others who knew of what he was.

With Anna getting more involved with her father's practices, there was a small level of uncertainty there. At this point Xander was well aware of Keith's abilities, but he had nothing to say on the matter. He himself, knew that there was something different about Keith. Even when Xander found out, he didn't question anything. He accepted it right away and made it seem like nothing was different at the time.

Keith returned home after a long day in the office. Sebastian and Robin were both asleep by the time he had arrived. A small plate of food was left on the table for him. With a smile he quickly ate the food and proceeded to clean the plate once he was done.

With all of the requests coming in, Keith wondered what would happen if he himself put in a request to join the Survey Corps. The more he thought about it the more he was tempted. He wouldn't be sitting at a desk and he wouldn't have to do patrolling. He wouldn't have to deal with petty crimes anymore. However, the only thing that was preventing him from joining was his ties to the city.

As he gazed out the window, the moonlight shone into his face. He began to question himself and the choices he has made. He looked down the hall where their bedroom was. He wondered where he would be if things were to have ended differently. He looked over at a calendar that was placed up on the wall. Tomorrow was the anniversary of his parent's death.

A solemn expression came over his face at the reminder of what the day was. He turned to a bookshelf and reached for the very top where he kept the gun his father had passed down to him. A thin layer of dust lined the box after being placed there when the uprising ended.

Keith wiped off some of the dust with his hand and opened the box. The gun sat inside the box, never once used since he had received it all those years ago. He wondered what old McGill was up to. The Crovus Clan emblem engraved into the handle of the gun was a reminder of the mark on his shoulder. Keith held onto his shoulder firmly grasping at his shirt.

"Daddy?" came Sebastian's groggy voice.

Keith was quick to close the box and tuck it onto the counter behind him.

"Seb, what are you doing up?"

"I'm thirsty."

With a small smile, Keith grabbed Sebastian a glass of water and sent him off to bed. The small child was a reminder of the decisions that he had made. He knew that he had to have done something right to be able to have a loving son and wife like he does now. There was no telling what would have happened all those years ago if he had taken a different path.

The following morning Keith woke up to the bright and early sun peeking through the window. The bed was empty and the house was quiet. Keith reached for his glasses and changed into his uniform. He approached the kitchen table and was welcomed to the aroma of the food that was prepared.

"Morning, are you ready for the examinations today?" came Robin's voice from the table.

Sebastian was eagerly eating at the breakfast that was prepared as Keith sat down in between them. Robin was reading the latest paper with the new headline "Can the Survey Corps do it".

"Right I completely forgot about that. Yeah, I do have a meeting with the Queen later this afternoon in regards to the development plans she wants to implement."

"Look at you being all official," Robin stated peering over from the paper.

"All in a day's work."

The three of them finished their meal and proceed to Isaac's house. Standing in the doorway was Xander as he was heading out to gather some more supplies.

"Sorry, I won't be there with you guys today," he proclaimed as he hurried down the street.

Keith smiled and turned to walk inside. There he met with a familiar face.

"CAPTAIN!" she shrieked.

"Anna, it's…ah…good to see you again."

"Anna?" Robin whispered towards Keith still holding onto Sebastian.

"One of the medical officers," Keith whispered back.

"You're… the special case that dad was talking about?"

"I warned you about what you were walking into, didn't I, Doctor."

"ABERDEENS!" shouted Isaac as he made his way into the room. "Now Anna, I need you to remain calm alright." Anna sharply turned to him in confusion. "Keith my boy, come, come. We'll get through with you first. I presume you have much needed work that you need to get to. Come right this way," Isaac proclaimed guiding Keith into the patient room.

Anna wasn't far behind as she was eyeing Keith up and down. She was trying to pin point why exactly he was considered a special case.

Keith removed his uniform as Isaac proceed to go through with the physical examination. Anna's eyes were glued to him as she was fixated on the mark on his shoulder. It was unheard of for anyone within the walls to have a tattoo.

"Captain," she cracked, "What's that?" she pointed at his shoulder with her pencil.

"This old thing. It's a mark of my past, so to speak."

Sure enough the Crovus Clan mark had grown smaller as he had gotten bigger, but the mark remained all the same. He turned to allow Isaac to examine his back as Anna made a note of the strange mark on his shoulder.

"Alright it appears we have everything we need for the physical examine. All…" Anna began to say.

"No we don't my dear. There is still more that we need to be sure of."

"I'm sorry? We've checked everything, I don't think there is anything else we need to cover. We followed the proper procedure."

"Anna dear, remember the Aberdeen's are a special case. Please brace yourself," Isaac stated as he pulled out a scalpel.

"Here it comes, my favorite part," Keith said with sarcasm.

Anna was horrified at the idea of what Isaac was about to do. She came close to stopping him, but Keith's attitude prompted her to remain still. Keith calmly raised his arms outwards at his side as he prepared himself for the cut. Isaac dug deeply into his Keith's chest and moved down to his belly button causing Keith to wince in pain. Blood spilled from the cut as Anna's jaw dropped. Keith opened his eyes and made sure that they made eye contact once the pain subsided. He gave her a small wink as steam rose from the fresh wound.

Anna dropped her clipboard and pencil as the wound began to heal at an incredible rapid rate. In the matter of minutes the wound was completely healed.

"Th…the…..th…WHAT!" She shouted.

"Alright it seems like your healing is normal, nothing has changed since your last examination. You concentrated solely on the wounds I presume?"

Keith replied with a smile, "As always."

"Excellent, now let's see your bones."

Keith held out his arm in front of him and tensed up. Bones sprouted out of his skin with quickly tearing his flesh. Isaac carefully examined the bone's thickness and strength as Anna remained still in awe.

"Good, good. It seems that your ability to produce them has increased and the healing around the bone is just as good as the cut. Have you been practicing?"

"Every now and again when I'm alone," Keith replied.

"Excellent now form the armor."

The bones reshaped themselves into plates on his arm as Isaac once again examined their durability. Lastly Keith was asked to do a full body transformation. The skin of his body began to melt at the intense heat he was giving off. Isaac calmly opened the window to allow the steam out of the room as Anna continued to remain still. The skin melted and ripped as muscles began to grow substantially. Keith made eye contact with Anna as he saw the fear in her eyes.

"Outstanding, every time. You're hair remains but your skin melts. I wonder why that is," Isaac said writing down notes onto the clipboard he had picked up. "Alright I think we have enough. Take your time and recover."

Keith sat down on the bed and began recreate the new skin as his muscles decreased in size back to normal.

"You're one of them," Anna stammered. "This whole time, you were one of them and you knew!" she got louder. "YOU COULD HAVE HELPED THEM. LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IF YOU ONLY DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

"Anna!" Isaac shouted.

"HOW COULD YOU!"

"If you were in my shoes what would you do? If you knew that you could be suspected as a traitor right off the bat. Would you put your family at risk?" Keith replied calmly as the skin reappeared around his face.

Anna didn't know how to respond and looked away from his gaze.

"Incredible, even though your skin melts off your mark appears every time it grows back," Isaac continued handing Keith his glasses.

Anna was quiet during the rest of the procedure. She didn't make any further eye contact with Keith and kept to her papers.

As Keith was buttoning his shirt, Isaac handed him the documents he would present to the medical examiner of the Military Police Brigade. He began to walk out of the room but paused in front of Anna.

"Don't get me wrong, there was a part of me that wanted to help. There is a part of me that still does. But the Survey Corps can manage without me. They have proven themselves thus far. I'm needed here with my family. When the time is right, then maybe, just maybe I will reveal my secret to everyone. But for now, what you've seen here today must remain here. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh before you go, could you do me a small favor," Keith turned back to see Isaac's wrinkled face light up. "Well it would be safe to assume that the Survey Corps has some information in regards to Lana and the Eren boy. I was wondering if it would be possible to review some of these papers. From a scientific perspective of course. I only want to compare your data with that which they have obtained themselves. You are all very fascinating beings. I want to see the things they've collected when Lana first joined up until now and the Eren boy is on a different league of his own."

"I'll see what I can pull up but I can't make any promises."

"Yes of course!"

Later that afternoon, Keith put in the request to Commander Erwin to have a copy of the documents of Lana and Eren for Isaac. He was hopeful that with their newly established relationship between the two factions that there would be no problems getting access. He felt that it was a return for giving them access to the technology that they had.

Keith approached the large royal building and was greeted by those within his squad. They calmly saluted at his arrival as he returned the salute. He removed his black leathered gloves and placed them within his black official trench coat as he made his way inside. There were a few workers present maintaining the vast estate.

"Captain Aberdeen," came an angelic voice from the stairwell.

Standing up high was a young girl. She had to have been in her early teens. Her bright blue eyes gazed into his as her golden hair was tied back to reveal her face. She dawned a beautiful and yet simple gown with a valiant necklace upon her neck. She was quick to walk down the stairs to greet Keith. He knelt down and bowed his head at the queen in respect.

"My lady," he replied to her greeting.

"We have much to discuss, please come," she proclaimed grabbing a hold of his shoulders and helping him stand.

He was surprised by her gesture as pulled himself away from her. Her sweet face revealed a smile to show that she was eager for what she had planned. She brought him upstairs to a study room where documents were scattered all over her desk.

"I take it you have been busy my Lady."

"Please, we've been over this, Historia is just fine when there is no one else around. We are going to be working often with one another, no formalities are necessary. As long as I may call you Keith."

"But of course, Historia," Keith replied with a smile.

Historia continued to show Keith the new plans that she wanted to start up. One of them being housing for those who were underprivileged. She wanted to help pull those from the Underground out and allow them to try and work hard to gain a better life for themselves. She felt that no one deserved to live the life that many were living there. She devised a plan to reserve a lot of land for housing. Once these homes were built people would move in. However, she didn't want to stop there. She wanted to provide them with everything that they needed. She wanted to give them resources for them to survive off of, as well as the means of receiving a proper education and the potential of getting jobs.

"My…Historia, you do have to take into consideration of the people in the main city. Our resources are already stretched so thin. It's going to be hard to come up with enough resources to provide for these people. Besides, they aren't recognized as true citizens either."

"These people are already living within the walls. They are the same people who are already living within the city. It's not like we are adding more people, it's going to be the same amount of people. I don't see any problem in that."

Keith didn't have much else to say. He didn't want to argue with the queen, however he knew that she was correct. These people were already living within the walls, it was just the matter of giving them a little more than what they were used to, to give them a better chance of survival. Keith proceeded to calculate what numbers he was able to gather and the two worked out a new resource supply plan. Those within the Military Police Brigade were about to become his enemy when they would find out about the cut they were about to receive. The food was all there, but the balance at which it was distributed was not equal. With this new plan, the resources would be distributed a little bit more even. He dreaded the idea of presenting the work to Nile for approval.

The two worked for hours until night had begun to fall. It was clear to Keith that Historia was going to be a prominent queen. She wanted nothing more than to help her people survive and prosper. He had high hopes for her as a ruler even though she was as young as she was. He already underestimated her once.

"So we have the blueprints drawn for the housing units, and the school, as well as the storage house and more. The lot has been selected. I will draw up the notice and the proper payment will be made to the owner. The distribution of resources has been planned out," Historia stated going through her papers.

"The guys back in the barracks are going to hate me, but let's face it. These people need it more than we do. As long as we get something to eat, we'll be fine," Keith said with a bit of a laugh and took a swig of his whisky.

"And if my memory is correct, the Survey Corps has their pact with the Reeves Company, so they should be fine. And no changes were made to the Garrison. That leaves the rest to be distributed among the people."

"Right," Keith said putting his glass down.

"Everything seems to be in order. The only problem I see now is getting all of this done."

"Hey, I have an idea, and it could be a shot in the dark."

"Go on."

"But, what if we contact the Survey Corps. I mean I'm sure that they could use a bit of a break from their normal duties, or at least some of them."

"That's a great idea!" Historia shouted. "Even better, why don't we ask Captain Levi as a consultant on the proposition?"

"Levi, why him?" Keith was struck by her selection.

"I remember hearing something. Lance Corporal Levi wasn't always a soldier. If I remember correctly, he was bribed into joining the military by Commander Erwin before he was a commander."

"No way. So wait…does that mean…" Keith thought about it for a moment. He briefly remembered that Captain Levi was named Levi Ackerman. Bearing the same last name to Kenny, he wondered if there was a relation. However, he shook off the idea as it didn't matter to anyone anymore. "Never mind, so why again?"

"I think Levi used to live in the Underground. If anyone knows anything about the Underground it would be him. So I believe that asking for his thoughts and opinions on all of this may actually be beneficial to the entire plan. With him helping us he can ensure that things would actually help the people coming from the Underground."

"That's an excellent idea!" Keith proclaimed. "Man, the Survey Corps are full of different kinds of people huh."

"What do you mean?" Historia stared at him with her blue eyes.

"Well you were part of the Survey Corps for one. Then there is Captain Levi with his background. You have Eren Yeager the shifter. The two traitors were in the Corps. Not to mention Lana. Plus you have the Commander who is a prominent leader. And then there is Hange who believe me has done some incredible research. The list goes on."

"Yeah," she replied quietly staring at the table.

"You miss them don't you?"

She quickly shot up to meet his gaze. Her eyes began to water at the thought of her comrades. She only nodded in response. Keith stared at the girl as her presence was a reminder of her kind heart.

"I'm sure that they miss you too. It seems to me that you were all really close with one another."

She nodded once more. "I didn't want to get close to any of them, but I couldn't help myself."

"It's funny, you sound an awful lot like Lana. She was like that when I first met her."

The two continued to talk to each other for the remainder of the night as each one reminisced on a memory. There was laughter and tears, smiles and more. Keith had developed an extreme fondness to the girl. He understood why everyone liked her so much and he was thankful to have her as his queen. He was looking forward to working on the further development of her dreamed kingdom.

Keith made sure to make contact with the Survey Corps. He requested for Levi to come for a visitation with the Queen for his thoughts and opinions on her development plan. He was eager to see what was going to be in store. He kept his chin up high knowing that what he was doing was right. He also received a harsh lecture from the Commander about the cutbacks. In the end, Nile faced the fact that it was for the good of the people.

After several meetings with Levi, the development was underway. It was quick and efficient but the housing was built. All that was left was the arrangement of the supplies to be brought to the site. Historia requested for Squad Levi to be the ones in charge of transporting the resources. It was a good time for her to catch up with her friends and to be in the action herself.

Meanwhile, Keith had made the final arrangements with Lana to bring in those from the circus as help for the development plan. There were a few who would be in charge of maintaining the housing structures and those who would conduct classes for the orphans that were brought in. This allowed the circus members to have homes of their own rather than the tents. It also gave them a new base of operations further cutting their last ties with Nina.

Things were going will within the walls. There was no fighting, there was no severe troubles. There was only the normal day to day activities. Keith over saw the latest documents that were on his desk after he had come off of patrol. Things didn't seem out of the ordinary. He had finally filed the last of the transfer papers from those within the Military Police Brigade to the Survey Corps. Although, he was jealous that he had lost some strong soldiers, he was glad that they were going to a place that needed them the most.

Among the papers was a document with the Survey Corps emblem. It was directed to the Commander but had ended up on his desk instead. With Nile currently being out on duty, Keith opened the letter to examine it himself.

Inside was a letter from Commander Erwin Smith. It was the explanation of the latest plans that they were going to go through. Over the last few weeks the Survey Corps had sent out soldiers beyond Wall Rose at night. Due to the inactivity of titans at this time, they were able to reconstruct a path leading straight to Shiganshina. Using the crystal formations found within the Reiss chapel, they were able to use them as a form of light to allow them to work.

Keith was amazed at the hard work that they had undergone. Inside was also information regards to their next step. After reading the last of the letter, Keith abruptly got up from his chair and ran out the door. He wanted to find the Commander as soon as possible to bring him the news. He bolted down the halls with immense speed pushing past the soldiers that blocked his path. He pushed the front doors open and ran out into the courtyard where he found Nile Doc.

"SIR!" he shouted as he approached him. "An urgent letter from Commander Smith," he stated handing him the letter. "They're going to go to Shiganshina. He claims that they have means to reclaim the wall."

"Impossible," Nile proclaimed grabbing the letter from his hands.

"I don't know what is planned, but judging by what he wrote, he along with everyone else are positive that they will succeed."

"There is no way."

"Sir, I have all reasons to believe that this time it will happen. The work and all of the efforts that they have put into this shows how determined they are to succeed. There is no way that they would fail this time. I believe in them. And do you know what this means when they succeed."

"We'd get Wall Maria back."

"Which also means we'd get all of that land, which means that all of these problems we are having will be diminished drastically."

"I sure damn hope you and the lunatic Smith are right about this."

"That's all we can do sir, is put our hope in the Survey Corps," Keith proclaimed.

On the day of their departure into Wall Maria, Keith made sure that he would see them off. He traveled to the gate within Wall Rose along with Robin, Lucas, Felix, and everyone else. They stood down below as they saw them getting ready to face what was before them. The plan was for them to travel at night to reduce their risk of running into a titan.

With the sun going down, they stood on top of the wall creating silhouettes. Their Wings of Freedom barely visible from that height, but there nonetheless, representing the hope and desire to be free from this madness that encased the people within the walls. They were the hope, the last hope. The people began to cheer as their heroes took in their final moments within Wall Rose. They were amazed by the faith of the people below. Commander Erwin held his sword up high and gave out a valiant yell as those who were by his side followed his lead. The strength and the power that was in the area was over whelming. Keith and the others shouted and cheered for the Survey Corps. He believed in them and at that moment that's all that mattered.


	24. No More Secrets

The time had finally come where the Survey Corps would make another attempt to reclaim Wall Maria. They had every belief that this expedition was going to be the one that will make or break the future of their society. Keith hoped for the best alongside so many others as they watched the final soldier descend to the other side. With everything that had been going on around him, he had wanted something to go right for once. He wanted to know just like so many others, as to why things were the way they were. He wanted to believe that there was some reasoning as to why things had ended up in this way. The Survey Corps were set out to find that answer.

Keith had made arrangements for their return to ensure that they were going to be treated with the outmost care. He knew that the journey was going to be a rough one and expected the worst. He set out for those within the medical division of the Military Police Brigade, as there were no Survey Corps medical team to oversee the injuries upon their return. Due to the low numbers, all soldiers within their faction were required to go forth with the expedition with no exceptions.

As the medical team was arranged, Keith was thankful that Isaac and Anna were more than welcomed to participate. Because the two of them had experience with titans, he thought that it was best for them to handle Lana and Eren in the case that they were injured.

The stress was getting to Keith harder than he had anticipated. He sat within the small house that Isaac and Anna resided in for the time being. Robin had taken Sebastian and started to make the return home to Wall Sina. There was nothing more they could do but wait. As Keith sat in the chair that evening, he sat staring at the brewed coffee that was prepared for him. He didn't say a word and hardly blinked.

"Well, there is no use sitting there the entire time my boy," came Isaac's warm voice.

The older man caught his attention, causing Keith to look up at him from his cup.

"Sorry, there is just so much at stake right now. They are walking right into a trap and even they know it. They believe that they will meet the Colossal Titan and Armored Titan either on the way or at Shiganshina."

"Worrying won't do them any good, neither will it do any good to you. You need to get some rest."

"I can't, I need to be awake if they come back."

"Well then, if you're going to be like that then at least help me with my research."

"Research?" Keith questioned.

Isaac informed Keith of the latest research he had been looking into. He was reminded of the spinal fluid research that Isaac was conducting. Keith subjected to himself a few times before during his examinations, but all samples were faulty. At this point, Isaac fully believed that he was capable of extracting spinal fluid without any problems and without losing the sample in the end.

In order to get his mind of the expedition, Keith agreed to once more undergo the procedure. It was painful for Keith but the pain was worth it. He was able to be pulled away from the worry. In the end, Isaac was finally able to extract a pure sample of Keith's spinal fluid. The medical breakthrough was incredible and would be useful in the future. For now the sample would be tucked aside and examined for Keith's pure blooded titan properties.

After the procedure, Keith decided to head to the barracks and speak with the soldiers that were present. The stress was still getting at him hard. He couldn't fully understand why it was bothering him so much. At first, he felt that it was the risk that his friends were putting themselves through, but that wasn't it. He then began to think on a much larger scale and felt that there was much at stake with this expedition. Eren Yeager was holding the literal key to the answers that many within the walls were searching for. However, that wasn't the reason that he was stressed out. He began to think in a different perspective. With his time within the walls he had forgotten what life was like outside of them. The people he would see out on the streets, the technologic advances, the normal things that he had been so used to that were no longer around him. It was ten years since he had lived that type of life and he missed it. He wanted to have it again and he began to believe that the Survey Corps were the ticket to get that life back. He didn't want to be in the circus nor did he want to live with the Crovus Clan. He just wanted to be with his family, but he wanted to show them what he called home. If this expedition was successful, Keith was sure that this was the first step to travelling to Rhea once more and to be able to show them the world that was beyond them.

The soldiers within the barracks helped ease his mind a little. However, he remained awake and alert throughout the entire night and well into the next day. There was no sign, which to him was a good thing. It meant that they had at least reached their destination. Otherwise they would have retreated by now and returned.

Night had started to fall again as the uneasiness in Keith's stomach began to grow. There were no signs of their return. It had been a full day and there was nothing. Just as the candles were being lit, a Garrison soldier came to find Keith.

He saluted and spoke, "SIR! The Survey Corps have returned!"

Keith was quick on his feet. As he ran out of the room, he shouted for the soldier to fetch the medical staff that was put aside.

Keith quickly ran towards the wall as the Survey Corps were lifted over the wall. All of them bore sorrow on their faces as well as various injuries. It hurt Keith to see them like this. As they were being lowered, Keith counted to see how many had made it back. Upon his inspection, he had come to realize that there were no others being lifted up on to the wall. At this point there were only the few that were being lowered. He counted ten survivors. Ten soldiers and nothing more. These were what was left of the Survey Corps. He pulled himself together and held his chin up high. He approached them and saw the familiar faces that he had seen a couple of times before. Among them was Hange Zoe, a soldier that had graduated in the same division as he did. He remembered them as being a very eccentric type of person. Someone who was eager and determined, and yet a little on the crazier side. However, the person before him was not the same person he had once trained with. A bandage covered their eye from a severe wound they had received. Alongside them was Captain Levi and his squad. Lana was being carried by a younger taller boy, she at least was alive and not on the brink of death this time.

Keith saluted as Hange had done the same.

"Keith, it's been a while," Hange stated stepping closer to him.

"It has, Hange. I'm glad to see that you're alright. What do you report?"

"Wall Maria has been reclaimed. Our mission was a success," Hange replied with a sorrowful look on their face.

A piece of Keith was ecstatic to hear the news. This was one step closer to revealing the mystery of the walls and allowing the people inside them to live beyond the structure. However, with the current news, there was also sorrow. The win meant a great loss among the soldiers before him. As he gazed around he realized that there were two notable people who was not among them. Erwin Smith, the Commander of the Survey Corps, was not present. A man who was a symbol of hope. To see him gone was hard. The second person Keith didn't see was Spencer. His long-time friend and fellow graduate was no longer with them.

"Whenever there are wins, there will be loses. It's a shame that you all had to take this much of a loss. Please, let me do what I can to help you. You all deserve it, I want to take care of you. I have doctors on standby to tend to any wounded. I even have a specialist for the titan shifters who will take care of them with the outmost care," he turned to signal for the medical team to approach.

Hange turned back to the others and decided to take up on the offer, "As the new Commander of the Survey Corps, I accept your offer. Thank you, Captain."

"Titan shifters come with me!" Keith shouted raising his hand up. He turned behind him to the small medical team that were awaiting their orders. "I want you four to tend to everyone else. Bring them to the barracks," he informed them.

Keith had brought Eren, Lana, and a newly transformed shifter to Isaac and Anna. Out of the three of them, Lana was the one who was hurt the most. He wasn't surprised due to her recklessness and previous history. She was often known to act before thinking of the consequences. However, this time seemed a little different based on her injuries. It seemed that in this case, her injuries were due to battle just like anyone else's. However, the look on her face was more of exhaustion than in pain.

When they approached the building, Keith had informed his messenger to bring them new uniforms so that they didn't have to change back into their dirty ones. As Lana and Eren were getting looked after, Keith was alone with the young blonde haired boy. He was curious, only believing that the Survey Corps were in possession of two shifters.

"So, you're a shifter as well?" he questioned.

"As of a few hours ago, yes," he replied.

"A few hours ago? How is that even possible?"

"The Survey Corps obtained a serum from Kenny Ackerman after the battle with the titan that the true king had turned into. During this expedition, the decision was given to Captain Levi to use the serum, as long as certain conditions were met."

"Wait, so you're telling me that the Survey Corps had possession of a serum without us knowing?"

The young boy looked away from Keith and replied, "Sorry. We wanted to keep it a secret from the Military Police Brigade. We don't exactly have a good history between the two factions. I'm so stupid for telling you in the first place," he replied placing his head on the table.

"I honestly don't blame you. What's your name?"

"Armin, Armin Arlert," he stated lifting his head back up.

"Well Armin, things are going to be just fine. Whatever happened, happened."

A knock came from the door breaking the conversation. Keith responded to the visitor and found Hange and Levi waiting on the other side. Hange had some information that involved Eren. During the battle as Levi was deciding on who to give the serum to, he was caught deciding between Armin and Erwin. At first Levi was going to inject Erwin with the serum, however this sparked an issue between Mikasa Ackerman and Eren. The two of them attempted to harm Levi for choosing Erwin over their childhood friend. This action is deemed unlawful under military law. Even though they pulled back, discipline was necessary. Keith thought that they were being ridiculous, but he understood. After the examinations, Keith would arrest Eren and place him within the Disciplinary Hall.

As the two of them had left, Isaac had returned from Lana's room.

"Good news, she will be fine. All she needs is a little rest and she should be as good as new. It doesn't surprise me, that girl has been through much worse," Isaac stated handing the paperwork over the Keith.

"Thanks Doc, I really appreciate everything that you've done."

"Don't thank me, it's what I love to do," he proclaimed patting Keith on the back.

Keith calmly placed the papers down and was eager to see Lana. He opened the door to her room without even thinking.

As the door was already opened he called out, "Knock knock!"

He saw her buttoning her shirt. It was nothing he didn't see before and he didn't think much of it. He walked into the room as she quickly covered herself up.

"Don't you ever knock?" she shouted at him with irritation in her voice.

"I did…verbally. Besides since when did you care?" he questioned remembering the few times he had to help re-bandage her wounds, and the countless of times he had walked in on her changing while sharing a tent.

She only responded with a face of annoyance and he closed the door behind him.

"So how are things?" he asked her hoping that she would be upfront and honest with him.

He knew that losing that many of her comrades had to have been hard on her. He felt the minor sting himself after realizing that Spencer had not returned with them. He was good friends with Spencer, and he hoped that he at least went down fighting.

"Fine," she replied as she continued to button up the shirt.

Every part of Keith was yelling at him because he very well knew that things were not fine.

He lowered his tone of voice as his smile was gone from his face, "How are things?" he asked again.

"We did it, we reclaimed Wall Maria and yet…why does it hurt so much," she replied as tears began to swell in her eyes.

Keith very well knew that she was hurting badly inside. He knew that even though they had won with their mission being a huge success and stepping stone, they still felt defeated inside. There was nothing more that he could do at that point but hold onto her. He only held onto her for a minute or two before letting her continue getting dressed into her uniform.

As he left the room, Eren had met with Armin. The two of them were silent as they reflected on the events that had taken place. As he watched them, Keith was reminded of what he was like at that age. He was reminded of the blood he had shed doing the jobs for the circus. When Lana was finished putting her uniform on she quickly left the room and pushed right passed Keith. He was alarmed by her sudden change in behaviour. Something didn't feel right with him as to why she was acting in this way. She quickly went up to Eren and Armin and urged them to get going with her. Anna urged them to stay a little longer to rest before heading out. However, Lana was sharp to turn behind them. Keith became extremely worried. The intensity in her bright green eyes sent a shiver up his spine. He could feel the fire that was burning within her.

"We have work that we need to do," she said quickly.

Keith regretted what he was about to do, but he knew that there was no way around it. He had to arrest Eren and make matters worse than they already were.

"Not so fast," he called out to them. The three of them turned back to face him. "Eren Yeager, you're under arrest for disobeying your superior officers."

"You can't be serious!" Eren cried out.

Keith informed them of the report that Hange had distributed to him during their examinations. Eren did nothing as the others left to return to the Survey Corps. Keith calmly restrained Eren and apologized. He believed that Eren didn't deserve what he was going to be put under. He even went as far as to tell him that he would've done the same if he were in the same position. In fact, Keith even went on to tell him that he had succeeded taking revenge on someone who had hurt a member of his family before.

A report was turned into Nile in regards to the mission. Keith reviewed the report after Nile. The Survey Corps had conducted several tests. One of the series of the test was the usage of Eren's hardening powers that he had gained within the Reiss chapel. This power was obtained after he had injected himself with a serum labeled "Armored". With this power, it was believed that he could block the holes that had been created within both walls of Shiganshina. The second series of tests were for a device called the Thunder Spear. This device was created to conduct a large amount of energy in the form of an electrical shock. The device was in the shape of a spear hence the name that was given to it. It was created with the help of Spencer after he had visited the Military Police Brigade facility. With these two abilities, the Survey Corps were prepared. Over time at night, several soldiers had gone out and reconstructed the path to allow the entire brigade a safe passage. With titans inactive at night, they were able to work under the light that was emitted from the crystals extracted from the underground room of the Reiss chapel.

When the Survey Corps arrived at Shiganshina, they knew that they were walking into a trap. They discovered a campsite where the traitors resided. Reiner Braun was discovered within the wall and the brigade proceeded to attack. They used the spears to take him down however, he was able to transfer himself into his titan. During this time, Bertolt Hoover had been thrown into the scene. He didn't not transform at first, and only set out to rescue his friend. During this time, a new titan had approached the wall and began to attack. This titan was referred to as the Beast Titan, the very same titan that had been encountered before a while back. Lana had gone after the Beast Titan leaving the Colossal and Armored Titans to Eren after he had successfully plugged the outermost hole.

They all fought bravely to the bitter end. In the end, they were able to capture the Colossal Titan. Captain Levi had used the serum that he had and used it on Armin Arlert. The newly formed Armin consumed Bertolt and obtained his power making him the new Colossal Titan. Reiner Braun escaped along with the Beast Titan, Zeke Yeager.

The Survey Corps was able to reach the basement and discovered contents of a previous life that Eren's father had once had. The contents of their findings were to be discussed with an audience along with the official report. Keith was instructed to arrange for an audience with the Queen and the other Military officials. The meeting was to take place as soon as possible as a plan of action was required.

A couple of days went by until the meeting occurred. Before the meeting, Keith wanted to speak with the Queen in regards to the serum. He spoke with her in private and informed her of everything he knew in regards to the serum, including the information he had learned long ago from Caroline. She was taken back by the information and wondered if there were still serums present within the grounds. She remembered seeing the briefcase that her father carried into the chapel during the uprising ordeal. Her father had wanted her to inject herself with one of the serums he had picked and eat Eren to obtain his power. The two of them had located a few more viles of the titan serum and decided that it was best for everyone to place them under security. They were locked up and concealed until further notice.

During the meeting, Keith promptly stood in a corner with a rifle in his hand. He was instructed not to speak or cause any interaction at all during the meeting. His job was to stand there and guard, nothing more. During the meeting however, Keith was able to learn more about what the Survey Corps underwent. The contents that were discovered in the basement described a type of lifestyle outside of the walls. They spoke of a place called Marley, a place that Keith recognized but had forgotten about. Keith remembered Neal travelling to Marley every now and again for business. However, what Keith learned was that Grisha Yeager, Eren's father, was an Eldian. To their dismay, everyone within the walls are Eldians. It was indicated in the papers that Eldians are the only people who are able to inherit the powers of the titan through the serum and by their heritage. In that instance, Keith remembered reading the journal from Prince Weismann. He wondered if the only reason why Eldians were able to turn into titans was because of the blood that runs through them. The DNA of Prince Weismann himself that their ancestors consumed.

The meeting was long, but it was enlightening. After hearing about the attempt of a rebellion from Grisha and the other Eldians within an internment camp in Marley and about several children being selected as warriors, he wondered if what he was going to have to prepare for. The kingdom of Rhea had fallen once before and the Eldian Empire had fallen to Marley. He began to believe that Marley was going to follow the same path of superiority belief of needing more power. What he was feeling was the need to prepare for a war.

During the meeting, Queen Historia made it very clear that the information that was discussed would be released to the public. At first it was believed that chaos would start among the people. However, it was decided that no more secrets were to be kept from anyone within the walls. That included any information that the outsiders would have. This meant that Keith, Lucas, and Lana would undergo an investigation and inform their superiors of any information that they may have.

After the meeting, Keith wanted to get his mind away from the dark and confront Lana. He wanted to be able to speak with her face to face in regards to everything. It was a way to pick her brain and be able to straighten things out for himself. When he approached her however, it was not a welcoming sign.

"Lana, I was hoping to at least say hi to you before you all took off," he approached her with a smile.

Everything about her behaviour was unsettling. She stared down at him with a straight face. No smile. The fire was lit within her eyes as he locked onto them. He was taken back by her and was not sure if there was something he did that would have upset her.

"Keith, it's good to see you," she replied darting her eyes all over.

He was unsure as to what she was looking for. It was almost nerve racking to him. He tried to lighten up the mood a little.

"Some meeting huh, I'm just glad to get out of there. Hey listen, I'm about to be off duty in the next couple of minutes here. Would you want to swing by my place for dinner if you can?"

She didn't respond to him at all. It was almost as if she didn't even acknowledge his question. Those behind her were on alert as well. They watched their every move.

"Is something wrong?" Keith asked wanting to know what was going on.

"Keith, do you remember a long time ago we made a promise to each other. That as partners we wouldn't keep secrets hidden from each other, no matter how big or small?" she asked.

"Yeah, that was over fifteen years ago now, but I still remember that."

"How truthful were you then?" she questioned him calmly reaching up her sleeve to adjust a glove.

"As truthful as I am today, why?" he asked taking a slight step back. He knew that if he knew her as well as he thought he did, then Lana had a trick up her sleeve. He remembered teaching her tricks long ago that benefitted him and some the jobs he had to go through. These were the very same tricks that he still followed himself. If he was correct, Lana was reaching for some sort of small concealed weapon.

"I have reasons to believe that you're hiding something from me," she stated, her brow furrowing in slight anger.

It was at this time that Keith was readying himself. He didn't want to hurt her but he knew that the situation was not getting any better.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I can assure you that I have nothing to hide," Keith stated holding his hands up in front of him in defence.

"Careful with what you say Keith. If you have something to share, now would be the time to do it. I'm not the same naïve person I was all those years ago. I can handle things."

Keith was starting to get angry with her. He was trying his best to not make her any angrier than she already was.

"Lana, can you even hear yourself talking right now?" he snapped at her.

It was at that instant that he regretted saying those words to her. Without hesitation she swung a blade at him. Keith stepped back, just barely getting hit by it. He could feel the tip of the cold steel on his neck. He stared down at Lana who was furious with him. He refused to move after realizing that she had grabbed a hold on his gun to prevent him from striking back. Everyone else in the hall had begun to raise their rifles and were prepared to fire. Keith observed the others behind her. It was clear to him by the expression of Hange and Levi, that what she was doing was at her own will.

"Lana, what are you doing?" Keith asked trying to keep himself as calm as he possibly could.

"LANA!" came the stern voice of Levi trying to coax her away from Keith.

"Talk," she sternly said.

"Lana I'm warning you, please just back away. I don't know what you want from me, but this isn't the way to get it," Keith stated trying to calm himself.

"I told you to talk," she shouted.

"Please, as your friend, your brother even."

Lana pressed the blade slightly closer to Keith causing him to be more on edge. He stretched his neck to try and ease himself away from it. He calmly closed his eyes and knew that there was no way around this. He had to pull the superior card on her knowing that this was going to be the last resort before he retaliated in defence. If she didn't respond, he would have to prepare himself to attack her and place her under arrest. He took in a deep breath and focused on being the soldier that he was.

He lowered his voice and glared down at her fixating hard on her, ""STAND DOWN SOLDIER, THAT'S AN ORDER!"

The tension in the room was high after the resonance in his voice shook everyone. They were not expecting him to come at her with such force. The only person who did not waiver at the sound was Lana. She began to snarl a little in anger and responded. She quickly pulled her blade away from Keith, nicking him in the process. He could feel the sting as a small amount of blood come from the wound. Before anyone could see it, he was sure to cover it and allow it to heal.

Lana had turned back to the others as they began to continue down the hall. Keith let go of his neck and proceeded to turn in the opposite direction. He was trying to figure out what was going on in her mind. Never before had she acted like this towards him. He tried to trace his steps and figure out if he had said or done anything that may have upset her. He decided that maybe his best option was to leave her alone for now and speak with Lucas on the matter. However, Keith had only taken a few steps before he could hear the shrill of Lana's voice from behind him.

"YOU TRAITOR!" she shouted.

He turned around to see Lana running after him in full force. Keith froze for a moment and was unsure of how to respond. Lana was in the midst of shifting as she had reached him. She firmly grabbed a hold of his jacket and swung him towards the window beside him. The glass shattered as pieces of it began to surround him. He looked up at her as he could feel the pressure of her growing hand on his chest. He knew that if he didn't do something, then he was going to be done for. Everything was happening quickly, almost too quickly. At this point he was only acting though his instincts.

Vast amounts of steam and glass surrounded the two as they made their descent to the courtyard below. The others that were present in the hall stared out of the broken window waiting to see what scene would take place before them. However, what was down below was not what they had anticipated. Through Keith's instincts he couldn't help but to shift himself. He knew that he was going to be crushed otherwise under Lana's massive titan body. When he reached the ground he quickly raised his hands and waited to defend himself for a strike.

"Lana, please don't hit me," he low loud voice cried out to her as the steam had cleared.

Lana's eyes widened at the sight that was before her. Keith's biggest secret was finally revealed to not only Lana, but to everyone around him.

"Wh…what…"she stammered on her words as she lowered her fist. The skin began to reform around her massive muscles.

With a great moment of relief Keith closed his eyes and spread his arms out to his sides. He was thankful that she wasn't going to try and punch him. However, it didn't take him very long to realize the trouble that he was about to get into. He looked around and saw his fellow soldiers aiming their guns at the ready.

"Ah, shit," He whispered. "Don't think I can talk myself out of this one," he continued trying to find the bit of humor in the situation.

He looked up at Lana who had tears streaming down her face.

"Keith…" she whispered.

Lana got off of Keith and helped him up in the process. Normally, Keith is only four inches taller than Lana. In Lana's natural pure titan form she would be classified as a fifteen meter class titan. However, in Keith's natural titan state, he towered over her standing at twenty meters. The two began to revert back to their normal selves with a cloud of steam.

"Looks like you and I do need to have a talk, don't we," Keith stated with sorrow.

"This whole time. You knew what was going on, and this whole time," she replied with a bit of spite in her tone.

"I'm sorry that I had to keep this from you. But I had my reasons. Please just understand that…" he cut himself off as he fell to his knees.

It had been over twenty years since the last time Keith had ever done a transformation like that. He was light headed and felt completely drained of all of his energy. He was rusty, nothing more. On top of that, during the transformation, he had lost his glasses causing him to not be able to see very well.

As he was falling, Lana was quick to grab him before he reached the ground.

"Keith, are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah I'm fine," he replied as she helped him up, "It has been over twenty years since I've done that. I'm sorry. I'm so, sorry. I wanted to tell you sooner." Keith proclaimed overwhelmed with the amount of guilt that was inside him.

"I will never forgive you for keeping this from me. But I know you all too well. You must have had your reasons."

"Aberdeen!" came the voice of Nile.

Keith had failed to notice the Survey Corps within the courtyard and his fellow comrades surrounding them. He knew that at this point he was going to be detained and questioned. This was the last thing that he wanted, but he knew that this was what he had to follow in order to get any sort of freedom.

"And I'll explain those reasons to you," Keith replied to Lana. He turned to face the soldiers, still using Lana as a support, "Just not right now." He stood straight up and smiled, "Commander! Any chance that you'll let me off with a warning?" he asked pulling himself away from Lana.

"Not a chance," Nile responded with a stern tone.

"I figured as much. Well Lana, the best you can do for now is to go and find Robin. She can tell you just about everything. It's time that I will come clean, about everything. No more secrets, right partner?"

"No more secrets, partner," Lana replied.

One of his own squad members had pulled his arms around his back and placed his hands in cuffs. He turned back to see Lana still in a state of shock at the news. Keith wanted to tell her one day, he just didn't want her to find out like this. Keith was defeated at this point, he knew that the new future he dreamed of was out of the question at this point. He didn't even know what was going to be in store for him. But he did feel a little bit of a relief knowing that he didn't have to keep being a pure blooded titan a secret anymore.


	25. Detainment and Resentment

Keith was stripped of everything. He wore no uniform and wasn't even given a new pair of glasses. He sat in a cold cell with rags on chained to a bed. He felt like an animal in a cage. Although the feeling wasn't as bad as the feeling of regret he had. Lana had every right to be angry with him. The entire time he was a pure blooded titan and he watched her struggle and go through the things that she went through. He tried to be there for her the best that he could, but his best wasn't good enough. If only he had revealed his powers to her sooner, then things would have turned out differently for both of them.

His first night down in the cell wasn't a lonely one. Boots could be heard on the cobble stone as he awaited for his visitor. When they finally approached, he was relieved to see Lucas standing at the cell gate.

"Are you just going to sit there and sulk the entire time?" he asked with a warm smile. He reached into the cell and passed Keith a new pair of glasses.

Keith was eager to grab them and put them on his face to be able to see a lot better.

"I can't help it. I feel terrible."

"But you had a reason, and a good one if I might add," Lucas stated pulling a chair that was nearby and sitting in it in front of the cell.

"I'm not so sure if I did."

"You refused to inform anyone about your powers because it was putting your own life at risk. Just the mere fact that you were alive was putting you in danger. If the Crovus Clan had known that you were alive, I'm sure that you would've wound up on that chopping block years ago. Your life is a valid reason for keeping it a secret."

"But I could have at least told all of you sooner."

"And then what. Have Nina and Jack get to you first. Shit happens Keith. When are you going to stop being so hard on yourself."

Keith only smiled and didn't say anything in response.

The following day, Keith was brought before an audience. Darius, Nile, Historia, Hange, and Doc, were all present to hear what he had to say. Lucas was present at the time to confirm the truth. Keith came clean with everything. He informed them about how he was a pure blooded titan from Rhea. He explained that he was a member of a notorious clan and how his parents were executed. He explained to him about his life with the circus and how the travelled to Paradis to live within the walls. He even came clean with the fact that he had forged all of their documents in order to join the military and gain citizenship. It was at this time that Keith was prepared for anything that they were going to through at him. He was even preparing himself as far as to being executed. Lucas in return shared his experiences on Rhea and with Keith.

Through his words and his history as a soldier, his charges were dropped. Once he informed everyone about the secondary uprising that was being conducted by Jack and Nina, his actions then were even thought of as just. Recently, letters between both Jack and Nina had been found which was evident that Keith was telling the truth. When Jack couldn't get access to more of the serum, they decided to try and make their own and kidnap either one of the Survey Crops titan shifters.

While Keith was pardoned for all of his actions he was ordered to have the medical team examine him to gather any data that they may find useful. Keith couldn't argue with the logic and was happy to oblige, even going far as to share the reports that Isaac had given him.

Even after hearing that Lucas was involved with everything, he too didn't receive any penalties. They were let out as free men. Lana had given her statement and she too returned to her regular duties. In the excitement, Keith was even reinstated as Captain. He was able to return home safe and sound.

A ceremony was held in honor of the bravery of the Survey Corps. Each one of the soldiers was to receive a medal for their success. With the reclamation of Wall Maria, this reinstated the prosperous future for those within the walls. Plans were to be drawn to recolonize within the walls once more and to cultivate the land again.

It wouldn't end there. The next step was to see what would lie beyond the walls. As there were many citizens of Rhea evident that there are life beyond the walls along with the books that had been discovered, everyone was eager more than ever to put a stop to things. To be able to expand and move beyond the walls and see what was out there. Keith was looking forward to this future. He had dreamt of being able to show his family the world he knows. However, the world is a harsh and a cruel one. In order to achieve the dream, they needed to be prepared to face the warriors of Marley, the very same who had plotted the destruction of the citizens who lived on the island of Paradis.

Before the ceremony could take place, Keith had come across Hange who was in search of him. They had an eye patch covering their eye underneath their glasses showing that they had officially lost their eye during the battle.

"Keith, I'm glad to have found you. How have you been?" Hange asked.

"Just great thanks. Hey, I've been meaning to officially congratulate you and the success of the Survey Corps."

"Thank you. I've been meaning to ask you something ever since your fight with Lana."

"Oh?" Keith was curious as to what Hange could possibly want to know.

"During your audience with the officials, he stated that it has now become your goal to have a normal and honest life and to be able to show your family the world you once knew."

Keith recollected on his statements he made the other day, "Yeah, I did say something along the lines of that."

"Have you ever thought about joining the Survey Corps?" Hange asked.

Keith was take back a little. He had thought about joining a while back but it was only for a brief moment in time. He never thought about joining since. He was happy with his position and didn't want to give that up.

"As much as it would be nice, I'm going to have to say no."

Like a flip of a switch Hange was distraught by his answer, "Oh come on! You have to join! Just think of the possibilities! We'll have four titan shifters it just makes perfect sense!"

Through Hange's yelling, he was able to break through. "Hange, please! I won't deny the fact that I would be beneficial to the Corps. It's just that, I belong here within the walls. I am to guard the Queen, it is my sworn duty. Besides, my family is here and I don't want to leave them. I'm an Aberdeen the knight so to speak. If something were to happen to any of you guys, we are next in line. The Military Police Brigade could use that kind of firepower now that I've been granted the authority to use my powers."

Hange hung their head low in defeat for a brief moment. When they quickly snapped back up they lurched themselves forward and grabbed Keith's formal jacket. They pulled him in to the point where their noses were almost touching.

"You will at least let us take a look at you for research right!"

Keith smiled and relaxed, "Of course."

"Speaking of which, that reminds me of something. I'm not sure if she has informed you already, but in case she hasn't, Lana plans on resigning from the Survey Corps."

"Wait, she wants to resign?"

"Yes. She claims that she wants to no longer pursue the research of her history and to strive and live a normal life."

"Normal…" Keith replied with a chuckle.

He looked over Hange's shoulder and could see her interacting with the others in her squadron. Her smile was big and her eyes were bright. It was good to see her this happy once more. However, as she stood there, he couldn't help but wonder what more she wanted in her life.

Before the ceremony, Keith was lucky enough to confront Lana. He questioned why she wanted to leave but only got the same statement that Hange had told him already. When he asked her what her plans were for the future, it was clear to him that she didn't think that one through. Almost as if she had a feeling that she wasn't going to make it back from the Shiganshina expedition. Lana was horror stricken at the thought of being homeless. Keith saw her as a little bit on the hopeless side of things and offered a place for her to stay at his home.

It was decided that once Lana had fully been discharged, she was going to live with him and Robin until she was able to find a place of her own. At first Robin was a little skeptical of having her around, but she began to warm up to the idea quickly. Sebastian was excited to get a larger room and started calling himself a big boy because of it. Keith didn't mind and enjoyed the thrill of having a new member of the household.

During Keith's detainment, Robin had a meeting with Lana. It was at this time that she shared what she knew about Keith's history. Anything else, she felt that it was Keith's responsibility to share. At first Keith was a little annoyed with the idea that she withheld information, but respected her decision.

On the night of Lana's arrival, they all sat at the table and enjoyed the meal that Robin had prepared. Keith was anxious for what was about to occur before them. He wasn't sure what Lana had already learnt and what was left to tell her. He decided to back track things right to the very beginning. Right to when he was a child.

Keith Thomas Aberdeen was the son of Sebastian and Valerie Aberdeen. Both Sebastian and Valerie grew up in hiding. They were pure blooded titans who lived in constant fear of being detained. There was a small coalition of pure blooded titans that consisted of four different families. They raised their children to fight and be strong in the hopes of the survival of their kind. Sebastian and Valerie worked hard every day to hone their skills and strengthen their bodies.

As young adults they were able to leave home and live their life to the fullest that they could. They decided to become hired mercenaries to make money but soon found themselves wanted. However, they were not just wanted by the Royal Knights. They came across the Crovus Clan in their travels after the two had wed. They knew of the treachery that the Crovus Clan was to their kind. After discussing with one another, they decided to put themselves at risk by accepting an invitation for membership of the clan. It was believed that they would hide right under their nose.

Not long afterwards, Keith was born. He grew up with his mother and father and trained just like they had at a very young age. Off to the side and away from other Crovus Clan members, Keith also developed his titan abilities.

Keith would travel with his parents on smaller missions. He would assist them in any way that he could being exposed to murder and thievery at a very young age. It was something he had grown used to and figured it was a normal part of his life.

However, on one of his parent's missions, Keith was left in the hands of Carl McGill. Keith remembered that night that his mother and father returned home. His mother was injured and was visibly giving off steam as she healed.

A few days had gone by. One day Carl had locked Keith in the bedroom as he and his father spoke to one another. Not long afterwards Keith recognized the voices of several Crovus Clan members. They were angry and threatening. Keith tried to get out but was stopped by Carl. Carl grabbed a hold of Keith and placed his hand over Keith's mouth to prevent him from screaming. Carl was much stronger than he was easily subduing him from running after his parents as a brawl was taking place in the other room. Keith tried to scream but it only came out as muffles that were barely audible. Keith remembered Carl saying "I'm so sorry" over and over again until the sounds had finally stopped.

The Crovus Clan had managed to subdue Keith's parents and turned them in to the Royal Knights to receive a bounty. Keith remembers the words Carl had told him that night.

"It's not safe out there for people like you. They just don't understand and they fear you. Our old laws are what's preventing you from living your life the way you should be. By law, you are to be discriminated for your blood. Your parents were unfortunate enough to reveal that to us. Take what you will from this, but know that you are not like us. You are not human."

Keith had vowed to himself to never use his powers again. He wanted to prove that he was human just as much as anyone else was. He vowed to never use them because it was his own powers that had begun to scare him. He didn't want to end up like his parents.

He had escaped Carl fearing for what was going to happen to him. He survived the night on his own and made his way to the execution block in the morning. Keith watched as his parents were being dragged up to a scaffold. They were strong and didn't bother to shed a tear. Keith remembered seeing a smile on his father's face as the blades were raised high into the air. Before he could witness his parent's death Neal Sidonia had approached him and covered his eyes. He guided the boy away from the area and offered him a home among the circus

Keith had nowhere else to go and decided to accept the offer. He continued his life within the circus and eventually befriended the members. However, when he learned that the Sidonia Circus was involved with the Crovus Clan, he began to grow concern. He often hid as much as he could whenever he saw a member of the clan. As the years went on he had begun to realize that none of them had recognized him anymore. He continued his life within the circus with a little more ease.

Eventually the jobs started. Whatever the Crovus Clan didn't want to take on, went to the elite group of individuals within the circus. Keith was one of those individuals along with Jack, Nicholas, and Lucas. It was their job to take on these assignments and earn money for the circus. Keith withheld his history with the Corvus Clan from the others believing that it would harm him and the others in some way. He wanted to keep as much as he could a secret for the safety of everyone.

When Lana came into his life, he resented not being able to tell her right away. He saw her struggling with her powers. He wanted to help make her life easier by showing that she was not alone. But by doing this, he would be breaking his vow. He decided to hold back until many years later.

With the information that Keith shared everyone in the room was perplexed, amazed, concerned and more. The only person not affected by Keith's past was Sebastian who was eagerly eating his food that was before him. Keith sat at the table with his shirt unbuttoned revealing the Crovus Clan emblem on his collar bone and shoulder while holding onto the gun that was passed down to him.

"So you kept a vow to prove that you are just as human as everyone else?" Lana asked.

"You know, looking back on it now it's kind of funny. What does it really mean to be human? Biologically I'm not, it's just as simple as that. But my beliefs, my emotions, and everything else about me is what makes me a human. There are people out in this world who are ordinary humans, but their actions are what makes them the real monsters. These are the monsters that we are going to fight." Keith stated leaning back in his chair with a smile on his face.

After everything was cleaned up, it was decided that they would all turn in for the night. Keith stayed awake in the bed staring up at the ceiling. He felt good that he had finally come clean about everything to her and Robin. He can no longer say that he is hiding anything. There were no secrets between anyone anymore. In his moments of thought, he could hear the front door open and close.

Keith got up to investigate and found that it was Lana. He looked out the window in the back and could see her standing by a tree. She was slumped over and throwing up the food she had previously eaten. He felt that she must have eaten too fast or too much. He waited for her by the doorway as she approached.

"Are you alright?" he asked as she got closer to him.

"Just fine," she replied sharply towards him.

"Need a glass of water or anything?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I just need some rest."

Keith didn't think much of it and decided to leave it at that. He knew that if he were to try and pester her more, it would only lead to anger. He made sure she went to bed ok and had a glass of water ready for her. When Keith returned to bed Robin was awake.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything is fine. Lana doesn't feel very well at the moment," he replied getting back into the bed.

"I could hear. The poor girl, I wonder what it could be."

"No idea. It can't be anything she ate. At least I don't think so," Keith stated getting himself comfortable.

"It might be a little hard to try and adjust to everything. Just think, after all she has been through she is trying to live a normal life," Robin proclaimed resting her head on Keith's chest.

"She can do it. I mean, just think of all of the things I've had to go through and I seem to be making out ok?" Keith stated and kissed Robin's head.

"We have a good life don't we." Robin quietly stated.


	26. The Future

Keith had returned to work just like any other. It was a cold rainy day but a normal day. The rain hit the window of Keith's office as he once again sat at a desk to review notices and other paperwork. More members had joined his elite squad to cover the vast amount of responsibilities that his squad would undergo. Between guarding the royal estate and the Queen, maintaining order, and following the instructions of the Queen it was too much for just the five of them to handle. His squad had grown from five elite members to fifteen. With this number he was confident that they would all do their jobs well and efficiently. He entrusted Oscar to be the one in charge whenever he was not around. Therefore, whenever Keith was escorting the Queen or at Nile Doc's side, Oscar was the next to report to.

Emilee quietly entered the room dawning her usual stern stare. Keith took his glasses off of his face and began to rub his eyes.

"Morning Emilee," he mumbled through his hands.

"Sir, the Queen requests an audience with you," she replied disregarding the nonchalant vibe that Keith was trying to give off.

"Alright, I guess I'll go," he replied getting up from his chair and putting his glasses back on.

Emilee escorted Keith to the Royal estate where Historia was waiting for him. He and Emilee entered the office room where Historia had prepared instructions for him to follow.

"My lady," Emilee proclaimed kneeling before her.

"Hey Historia, how's it going," Keith asked sitting in one of the chairs.

Emilee eyes widened in slight irritation at how Keith addressed the Queen. It was like daggers on Keith as she stood up. However, her stares were proven worthless as per usual.

"Morning Keith, I'm doing well thank you. How have you been? It has been some time since the last time we have been able to chat like this."

"Come to think of it, it has been a while hasn't it?" Keith replied reflecting on the last time he was able to share a moment with her.

Emilee didn't say a word as Historia sat in a chair at the end. She grabbed a hold of a few papers and neatly stacked them together. It had become clear that she had been busy composing plans and data for upcoming developments. Now that Wall Maria had been reclaimed, it was time to take back what was once theirs. Historia had decided to bring Keith into her development plans. Because of his position he was one of the very few that were able to proceed with the plans in the absence of the Queen.

Historia had tasked Keith with overseeing the development and full rehabilitation of Wall Maria and the villages within. He was tasked with the opportunity to devise several teams that will handle several of the districts. In doing so he would break up members of his own squad to ensure that everything will be under control and go as planned.

The first step in redeveloping the land was preparing it for farming. Wall Maria was once known for its farming which enabled everyone within the walls to have a comfortable food source. At the same time construction would be underway to repair the villages that have been damaged due to the titans. Once everything has been reinstated, residents can once again return.

"Do you have any questions?" Historia asked.

"No, everything seems to be pretty straight forward. I already have several people in mind for this project. But, are you really sure that you want your personal elite squad to oversee this project?"

"I am most certain that this is what I want."

"But what about your protection."

"Keith, are you forgetting. I am more than capable of handling things myself. I will be fine. Right now I need you out there."

"What if the walls are attacked again?" Emilee asked.

"When that time comes we are more than prepared to handle it."

Keith and Emilee returned to the others with the proper orders. After the consultation with Historia, Keith's elite team were picked and separated to each district to maintain order and to ensure that everything was going according to plan. Keith himself decided that it was best to station himself within the action as well. After talking it over with Robin, the two of them decided it was the best for everyone for the family to remain within Wall Sina and for him to proceed to Wall Maria.

Keith returned home late that night after his shift and was greeted by Robin preventing him from going inside. Keith cocked his eyebrow in curiosity as she continuously stepped in front of him.

"Alright, what's going on here?" He asked getting fed up with Robin's actions.

She looked back behind her a little uneasy.

"You know how Lana was throwing up the other night?"

"Yeah, I tried to get her some water."

"Well, you know how she hasn't been feeling well for a while?"

"Sure? Where is this going?"

Robin peeked over her shoulder and cracked the door open slightly. She quickly turned back.

"I took her to see Isaac. She's pregnant Keith."

Keith's eyes widened. He didn't know quite what to say he was excited and amazed. He was eager to go and congratulate her. Robin was quick to press her hand on his shoulder as he had begun to make his move. He looked over at her and she only shook her head solemnly in response.

According to Robin, after they had returned from the appointment Lana was mortified at the thought of her being pregnant. She didn't like the idea of becoming a mother and was even terrified. Lana had locked herself in her room since her return and refused to come out.

Keith quietly entered and peered into her bedroom. He could see her curled up on her bed holding onto a pillow. He didn't make a sound and decided it was best to let her be.

"So who's the father?" Keith asked.

"Are you really that dumb?" Robin replied with a tone in her voice while trying to keep her voice down.

"What? It was a serious question."

"You're either blind, or a complete dumbass."

Keith shrugged and sat at the table.

Robin leaned in closer so that she wouldn't say it too loudly. "Captain Ackerman from the Survey Corps. Her squad leader."

"No fucking way," Keith proclaimed leaning back shocked.

Robin rolled her eyes and sat at the other end of the table. She informed Keith that Lana had made the decision to not inform Levi, or at least right away. Robin could understand why after everything that has gone on. She didn't want to drop this information on him so soon. She made Keith promise to keep it a secret and allow Lana to share the news for herself. Keith promised but felt guilty. He knew that if her were in Levi's shoes, he would want to know no matter what the circumstances are. However, he remembered that he and Lana didn't exactly leave on much of a good note. According to Lana, they had an argument on the way to Shiganshina and hadn't spoken to each other since. He felt kind of bad for the two of them. He wanted only the best for both. Granted he didn't know Levi as well as he knows Lana, but he knew him enough to want him to be happy for once in his life.

Before the reconstruction can occur, the titans that still remained within the wall needed to be dealt with. It was going to take some time to deliberately hunt them down. There was no telling how long it was going to be before they could actually start repairs. Keith and his team had joined the Survey Corps to participate in the titan clean up alongside a few Garrison soldiers.

It was early in the morning as Keith and the others approached the Survey Corps base. Their numbers had grown slightly due to the continuing popularity. Keith was happy to see newer faces surrounding the veterans. Hange and Levi stood before the door waiting for their arrival. Hange had a smile on their face as they were eager to see Keith once again.

"Aberdeen!" they proclaimed and approached Keith.

"Commander!" Keith responded with a salute. "I'm eager to be here and assist you. My team is well equipped and ready whenever you are."

"Fantastic, but there is one thing I need you to do first."

Keith was curious and didn't respond. Hange stared at him with fierce energy as the rest of his team stood on guard behind him. Something was going through their mind, but Keith couldn't quite put a finger on it. Hange was a strange individual, but an enthusiastic one at that. Anything could happen with them which made it hard for Keith to pin point what Hange had in mind. As Keith was fixated on Hange he neglected to notice Levi making a move. Out of the corner of his eye he had begun to realize that Levi was no longer standing by the door. He quickly snapped at the brief sound of metal behind him. He turned and was faced with a blade being swung towards his side. Keith reacted and on instinct and had formed a bone to counter. He swung his arm around and forced the blade out of Levi's hands quickly before he could react. Keith continued by pulling out his pistol and aimed it at Levi who had his hands held up in surrender.

His eyes locked as Levi was focused and calm. Keith was distraught and was unsure as to how to act. What was going on right now looked like an act against Military Law. Keith had every right to arrest the two of them right then and there for attacking him. However, it was Hange's shrill yell of excitement that Keith began to piece everything together.

"Incredible, the reflex, the structure, magnificent. I want to see more, I need to see more!" Hange yelled.

"Seriously! You couldn't have just asked. You had to go through this whole thing for that!" He turned back to see his squad stand down.

"Using your power at your own will is one thing, but having pure instincts takeover is an entirely different process. I can assume that with your instincts you can do things a lot faster than if you were really trying to do it."

Keith never thought about it, but with what Hange was saying it was bound to be true. Hange was a person of research to begin with. He trusted that they knew what they were doing and presumed that it was all for a matter of science.

Keith was debriefed along with others on how they would proceed with the titan annihilation within Wall Maria. It was plain and simple, find a titan and slice its neck. Several groups were dispatched throughout the month to take care of the remaining titans within the walls. Keith took notice to members of the Garrison within the troops that were to be sent. It was nice to see all of the factions coming together in a form of unity.

In Keith's absence, Robin's sister Alexandria had decided to stay with the family to assist in Lana's pregnancy. As much as Keith disliked Alex's smug attitude, he was wanting to make sure that everything was going to go well for his family. While he has been gone, Lana kept to herself for the most part and only came out to grab food.

Meanwhile Keith was hard at work ensuring that things were maintained. The titans were eradicated and reconstruction was underway. Keith had stationed himself in Shiganshina were everything started. The now covered hole was breath taking. To think that this was where everything started for these people. He would often stand on top of the wall and gaze out into the horizon. He wondered what it must be like on Rhea. The changes that had to have happened in the last ten years. He remembered the giant wall that they had found upon their arrival to Paradis. The wall the divided them from the world beyond the sea. At this rate, he wondered if it was possible for him to return to Rhea one day. To maybe see the others that he had left behind.

Five months finally passed as Keith was eager to finally return home for some well needed time off. Slowly people had started to make the districts livable again. Meanwhile there were surrounding villages that had already people moving in them and making a new future.

His house stood right where he left it. It was pristine and pleasant, until he heard the yelling that was inside.

"Let me see what you have?" he recognized as Lana's voice.

"A knife," Sebastian replied.

"NO!"

"Why does he have a knife," he whispered to himself.

Keith chuckled and opened the door to see Lana firmly holding onto Sebastian's hand. She had the knife out of his hand and placed it on the table.

"How many times most your mother and I tell you, no knives."

"Daddy!" Sebastian ignored her scowling and ran towards Keith. Keith was excited and eager to pick his son up. He lifted him up and rested him on his hip.

"Did you miss me?" Keith asked him with a warm smile.

"Yeah!"

"Keith you're home!" Lana sounded slightly relieved.

"Seb, were you running around the house with a knife?"

"No," Sebastian replied and gave him puppy dog eyes.

"Liar, and I know a liar when I see one. No knives understand?"

Sebastian nodded and Keith put him down. He looked around and could tell that Robin was not home at the time. However, when he looked over at Lana he was quite surprised. She stood straight allowing Keith to be able to see the prominent belly that has grown due to her pregnancy. She was even wearing one of Robin's old dresses. Her dark black hair had also grown considerably as it had become shaggy and longer.

"Where's Robin?"

"She went out with that annoying sister of hers."

"Thank the heavens. I'm glad someone else has the same sanity I do. I love Alex to death but I can only handle so much of her."

"She is a bit of a know it all that's for sure."

"You…look great by the way."

"Thanks that's what everybody has been saying."

There was an awkward silence for a moment or two.

"How…how's Levi?" Lana asked breaking the silence.

Keith was kind of surprised that she would ask about him, but it really shouldn't come as a surprise at all.

"He's fine I think. Or at least from what I could tell. The guy is a little hard to read some days."

"Tell me about it, but once you get through that first couple of layers you can see that he really means well and is really a great guy."

"You haven't told him about anything yet have you?"

She shook her head.

"He has to know sooner or later. And I'm not just saying that for him, I'm saying it for you. You need to confront him at some point."

At that point, Lana had informed many people except those within the Survey Corps. It seemed like Levi was the only person she didn't want to tell. Keith began to refuse and accept the idea much longer.

Keith sat within his office and reviewed some of the work that had been brought to him before he was scheduled to head back to Shiganshina. There were many letters on his desk that were just normal reports on some mindless matters. At this time he wasn't on duty and therefore did not wear his uniform. However that didn't stop people from coming in to speak with him. Emilee had entered the room and saluted upon her arrival.

"Sir, there is someone here who would like to speak with you."

"Ok one, I am off duty and two cut the crap Emilee you know how much I hate this official stuff. Bring them in or whatever."

"Funny, I've also pictured you as someone who really doesn't give a shit," came the voice of Levi as he entered the room.

"Ackerman? What are you doing here?"

"The Commander wanted me to present this to you while I had business to attend to. This is a letter directed to Lana from the four eyes."

He gracefully took the letter from Levi and placed it on his desk. Keith looked back at Levi who was about to leave, but something in him was wanting to make him stay. After speaking with Lana, it was now or never. He decided to break his promise and do what he felt was right.

"Ackerman," Levi turned and respectfully waited to hear what Keith wanted. "Emilee, could you please give us a moment."

Emilee saluted, left the room and closed the door behind her so that the two of them would be able to have a conversation in private.

"When I was stationed in Shiganshina with you, I noticed that you would often talk about Lana."

Levi averted his gaze, "I guess I did. What's your point?"

"You still care for her, don't you?"

Levi was silent and continued to avert his gaze. Keith waited to hear what he had to say as Levi closed his eyes for a brief moment to think.

"I do, I care a lot about her."

"And it's to my understanding that you two had an argument before she left."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Levi sharply responded.

"Listen, if you care for her as much as you say that you do then you need to hear me out. Lana talks about you just as much as you talk about her."

Keith watched as Levi began to move his jaw around subtly in frustration. It was a touchy subject for him and Keith knew it.

"If there is anything you need to know, it's that she…"

"What that she regrets leaving, that she wants nothing more than to go back to the things that they were, that…she loves me."

Keith didn't know how to respond to Levi's sudden outburst. He never knew that the guy had it in him to lose his cool like that. To Keith it was very much unlike him.

"Well, what I was going to say was none of that. Just take a second to calm yourself down."

Levi leaned himself up against the wall and folded his arms on his chest. He was silent and fixated his eyes to Keith.

"Lana's pregnant, with your child."

"I don't believe you."

Keith was a little frustrated at this point and let out a sigh.

"Look, believe me or not but what I'm saying is the truth. You should see her at least once while you're in town, even just to hear her out. Listen, why don't you come over to my place for dinner and see for yourself," Keith paused and looked back down at his letters. "The cards have been dealt Levi, now it's up to you to make a move."

"Fine."

Once Levi had agreed and left the room, the tension subsided. Keith then began to realize what he had just done. He slammed his head on his desk with every little bit of regret. He was about to let off what he though was going to be a bomb in his own home.

With the letter from Hange in hand, he tried to act calm and collected when he returned home. Robin was making soup for dinner as Lana was sitting at the table. Sebastian was drawing on some papers on the floor below. Keith removed his fogged up glasses as he kept glancing back at Lana. He decided to break his awkwardness and give Lana the letter to start off. She opened it with gladness at the sight as Keith quietly walked over to Robin.

"That reminds me Robin. We're going to be having a guest tonight," he said as he removed his scarf and jacket.

"A guest, alright," Robin replied with annoyance.

Keith leaned in closer to Robin as he realized that Lana was too enthralled with responding to her letter than to listen.

"I screwed up," Keith whispered.

"What do you mean," Robin replied.

Keith shushed her, "I screwed up big time," he continued and sat in the chair at the end of the table.

"Keith, what did you do?" There was a loud knock at the door. "That must be our guest," she continued raising her voice more.

Keith got up from the chair and took in a deep breath. He cracked the door to see Levi standing before him. Keith was skittish and was unsure of how things would play out. He turned around biting his lip with an apologetic look on his face. Lana stared back with her green eyes shining bright as she was eager to see who was on the other side. Keith mouthed the words sorry to her as he pulled the door fully open to let Levi in. He closed his eyes and cringed, waiting to hear what would happen.

"What are you doing here?" Lana asked loudly as she saw him.

Keith opened his eyes and glanced over at Robin who wore a face of disbelief as to what he had done.

"I was invited by Captain Aberdeen. It seemed that he had something he wanted to share with me." He walked into the room and removed his jacket allowing Keith to take it from him. "It appears that there is something interesting that I should know."

Keith nervously closed the door and went over to his seat. His eyes were darting back and forth between the two of them. When Lana tried to make eye contact with Keith, he only looked away and tried his best to avoid any confrontation.

The meal was awkward and silent. The tension in the air was thick as everyone refused to speak a word to one another. The only person who did not seem to falter at the tension was Sebastian who was eager to eat his favorite stew. Even Robin refused to even look at Keith in the eye. He could tell that she was indeed very mad at him. He was not looking forward to the lecture he may receive later in the evening.

Eventually Levi broke the silence. However, Lana only replied to him with short answers. The situation was getting worse and worse, and Keith was afraid that things would lead to a full blown argument. He looked over at Robin who was getting fed up with the tension. The two of them tried to lighten the mood up and change the topic.

"So how are things going to the redevelopment plan guys?" Robin asked.

"Fine," Levi responded.

"Very good actually. It won't be much longer until Shiganshina is back up and running like before. Right Levi?"

"No comment."

"Has Hange spoken of any expedition plans?"

"No," Levi replied.

"Right," Keith said looking over to Robin.

The situation wasn't getting any better no matter what they tried. They were running out of options. However, it wasn't until one little accident that the situation turned. Sebastian had mistakenly knocked over his second helping of stew causing it to spread across the table. Both Keith and Robin responded immediately and began cleaning up the remnants of Sebastian's meal. However, the poor boy began to tear up at the sight of his favorite food being wasted.

"It's alright Sebastian, it was an accident," Lana proclaimed sweetly to try and calm the boy.

There was a brief moment of silence followed by Sebastian's chipper voice, "Are you sure mister?"

Keith looked up to see that Levi had given Sebastian his remaining stew.

"I'm not hungry, you can have the rest."

"Thank you! Look Aunty he gave the rest to me!"

"He sure did," Lana replied with a smile.

Later in the evening the four adults were sitting with one another while casually talking. The mood had lightened up a lot more since the little accident. Lana even went as far as apologizing to Levi for not informing him sooner. Things were going to be better from here on out. Keith and Robin decided to turn themselves in for the night to allow the two to have some privacy with one another.

As they sat in their bedroom Robin punched Keith in the shoulder.

"What was that for?" Keith proclaimed wincing in pain.

"You idiot. You screwed up big time alright!" Robin shouted.

This was the lecture that Keith was dreading to hear, but he was going to hear it at some point.

"But you did a good job," she quietly continued.

Keith was alarmed by the sudden change. He was not expecting her to say that.

"Excuse me!" he proclaimed.

"Look, I know that Lana had made you promise not to tell him and everything, I made the same promise. But, it broke my heart to see her like that. That man in there is like her rock. She cares very much for him and you know it."

"The same goes the other way too. Although it doesn't look like it at first, he cares deeply about her."

"They need each other but they are both too idiotic to see it. Thank you Keith, you really did do a good job."

Keith began to reflect on something that he had thought of once before. He never really had spoken to Robin on the matters, but he was feeling lucky at the moment.

"Hey Robin, have you ever thought about leaving Paradis and perhaps one day travel to a different land. Like maybe Rhea?"

"Rhea, as in the place you're from?"

Keith looked up at her from the bed as he had begun to feel slightly emotional, "Yeah."

"Well, I suppose it never really has crossed my mind. Why, what makes you think that we'd be able to do it?"

"At the rate that things are going right now, we just might be able to cross the ocean a lot sooner than we think. I mean the biggest threat we have right now are the Marleyans but they haven't made an attempt at anything over the last few months. I just want you and Sebastian to be able to see what it's like beyond the walls. To be able to see the things that you're missing out on, the things that I grew up with."

"Keith," she quietly stated.

"Look, I know that I had a bit of a shitty past. I mean Lana has had an even darker history than I. Let's face it, we're both some cliché story book character who escaped their harsh realities into something more. But the point is, is that no matter what I've been through I still think of Rhea as home to me. I want to be able to one day show you and Sebastian that."

"Yeah, let's do that," Robin replied quietly again.

She quietly approached him and embraced him in a kiss. The future was looking bright for them.


	27. One Thing Leads to Another

Almost a full year goes by. Construction and redevelopment is well along the way as talk of completion is nearing. Keith become well recognized for his leadership throughout the entire procedure. The waters were all calm.

Lana had given birth to a son, naming him in honor of her previous Commander Erwin. Sebastian was growing into his powers more and more each day. However, as Sebastian develops his powers it has become evident that with the mixture of his blood, his powers were not as strong, nor is Sebastian able to transform in the same manner as his father. It has become more apparent that Sebastian's shifting capabilities is more similar to the likes of the nine titans. As a titan, Keith is capable of using any part of his powers in any shape or form. However, Sebastian was a different story. It has been learned through the efforts of Isaac, that Sebastian is only able to use titan powers in a titan form. Which means that the bone spikes that he has inherited from his father can only be used when he is a titan. It has also become evident that while in Sebastian's titan form, he creates a titan body around him and moves it around much like a puppet. His subconscious being within the titan body rather than his own. The very same way that has been documented for the previous titan shifters. With this information it can be assumed that the same affects will take place with Erwin as he grows older.

As things began to relax within the walls, there was still the threat that was outside. At any moment the Marleyan warriors could cross the waters and attack. Paradis needed to be ready just in case the situation were to arise. After a year since the Survey Corps had obtained the Colossal Titan and defeated the Armored and Beast Titans, there had been talk about strengthening their defences within the walls. They needed to be better equipped to handle another attack from the two titans as well as anything else that may come their way. It was at this time that plans were being devised. With the Colossal Titan and the Attack and Founding Titan in their possession, they would utilize them and eventually make a counterattack themselves. For now, they would just remain on the defensive side.

After another excruciating meeting, Keith sat in his office. He was no longer required to observe and maintain the development of Wall Maria and left it in the hands of someone who he saw as more than capable of handling it. He was then able to return home and help his son come to terms with his powers as well as remain by Robin's side.

Oscar had arrived with the most recent report from the Survey Corps.

"The Commander says that you might want to read this one," Oscar proclaimed handing him a piece of paper.

The report wasn't just any report. It was the plans for the latest expedition. They were finally going to go beyond the walls once more. It was going to be the first time in many years since any of them had set foot beyond the concrete cage that contained them. Keith was excited for them and knew exactly what was in store. According to the report, Hange believes that they had the means to make it all the way to the drop off zone. The zone where Eldians were sacrificed and turned into the mindless titans that once flourished on the island of Paradis.

Something came over Keith and it was an impulsive decision. He pulled out a piece of paper and began to write two letters in response to the report. One to be directed to Hange, while the other was going to Nile. Since Keith was from the capital of Rhea which was on the coast, he missed the scent of the sea in the air. He wanted to see if it was possible for him to go along with the Survey Corps on the expedition. However, that meant that he needed to find a way that would benefit the Military Police Brigade in some way or another. Keith devised up the idea of joining them to assess the land himself to come up with a strategy on how to build their defences and how they would want to counter attack. At first he believed that it was a stupid impulsive idea that would fall through. There was no way he was going to get approval to venture beyond the walls, it was not in his job description and that was what the Survey Corps was for.

Nile approached him in regards to the letter.

"Aberdeen, what is the meaning of this?" he asked sternly, waving the letter in his hands.

Keith stood before him and saluted, "Sir, I just want to be given the opportunity to observe and assess the Survey Corps expedition first hand."

"Is that so?" Nile replied looking at the letter and then looking back at Keith. "Why bother, that is why we have the Survey Corps to begin with. We don't need to send any of our men along with them. End of discussion."

Nile began to walk away from Keith as he was left with nothing more to say. With his Commander denying his request, Keith was disappointed. He wanted to be able to experience the expedition for himself and this was an opportunity to do it. Even at this time, his tasks were almost non-existent. But then the thought occurred to him.

"But sir, what if they were attacked."

Nile turned around to face him, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what if they were attacked by the Beast and Armored Titan. Aside from the reports that we've seen, we really have no idea what we're up against. In the event that the Survey Corps come into contact with them beyond the wall, I'm not so sure that any will return this time."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

Keith paused, he was trying to find something in his memory that would defend his case. He remembered the soldiers that are currently among them and what they were capable of.

"Sir, their current Commander has lost an eye, they have a new titan shifter who is still learning his abilities. The Yeager boy himself is still learning. The pure blooded titan has been discharged. Not to mention, a good portion of their faction are rookies. People who are still new. I recommend sending someone like myself to attend the expedition to at least act as extra defence for them. We have powerful enemies and it's literally like walking into the unknown for them."

Nile looked away and reflected on the words Keith had said. Keith began to panic as he realized that he may have pushed Nile over the edge. However, he stood his ground and awaited to hear what he had to say.

"Very well, as long as Commander Hange agrees to your attendance. Just make sure you report back to me when you return."

It didn't take much to convince Hange to allow him to join them. Keith made a bargain with Hange. If he were to go on the expedition then he would assist in one training session for the titan shifters.

On the day of their departure, he said farewell to Robin and Lana and made his way to the Survey Corps barracks. With his trusty stead and Military Police Brigade green cape, he arrived to be greeted by Hang and Levi.

"I don't see why we need you here, but I'm not going to argue," Levi stated.

"Friendly as always, aren't you," Keith replied with a sarcastic smile.

"Why are you really here?" Hange asked.

"It's as I stated before, I want to be able to experience the expedition for myself. To get a true feeling as to what to expect. It's not that I don't have any faith in you at all, you are more than capable of it. It's just hard to understand sometimes when it's just written on a piece of paper. Besides, the chance to see the ocean again would be nice. Personally for me, if I can just see for a moment what it's going to be like, then maybe there will be hope of one day reuniting with lost friends."

"You mean to go back to Rhea?" Levi asked.

"Yeah, I want to return one day. All of us who came from there may have had a shit life over there, but it is our motherland."

After a few more exchanging of words, Keith was debriefed on the procedures of the expedition. The Survey Corps is to be set up into different units and spread out. In the case that someone sees a titan, a red flare from that unit will be set off. Hange would then set out a green flare in the direction that they are to go to avoid confrontation with the titan. Black flares indicate an abnormal titan and can be devastating, while yellow was a sign for retreat. They would set out in a formation and stick to that the best they can. This was the method that was first introduced by the late Erwin Smith. A method that had managed to save many Survey Corps soldiers.

Before their initial departure, Keith stood in front of the soldiers next to Levi as Hange spoke to them. He was glad to see a few more soldiers who had joined the faction to increase their numbers. It was going to make things a little easier on them.

As Hange spoke, Keith had completely zoned out and only stared across to the soldiers in front of him. They were all so young and yet they had been through a lot. He himself was able to relate to them to a certain level and it hurt him a little to think that. Keith's thoughts were broken by his name being called. He realized that all eyes were staring at him. He had no idea what to do, he looked over to Levi and Hange who waited for something to happen. Keith was like a lost puppy.

"Say some words dumbass," Levi whispered leaning towards him.

"Some words?" Keith asked back still unsure as to what he was supposed to say.

"You could just stand there like the idiot that you are."

"Soldiers!" Keith shouted snapping forward to show Levi that he wasn't an idiot, his voice echoing against the stone wall of the barracks. "It is an honor to be joining you on this expedition. You men and women have done so much for all us within this last year, allowing us to grow and strive as a society. You have learned that we are not alone and that there is an even greater battle ahead of us. With this expedition I hope that we can achieve some sort of understanding as to what we are up against. I am eager to lend you my blood, sweat, and tears, to ensure that this expedition is successful. Don't think of me as an M.P, think of me as a fellow comrade, one of you."

Keith saluted and held his chin up high. Everyone before him responded with the same salute. Keith often isn't much for words, but today was different. The words were flowing naturally.

The time had come for the first expedition beyond the walls in many years. Keith would be riding alongside Hange in the center. He was responsible for relaying the messages through the flares. He sat on his horse before the restored gate which would grant them the access to the hell zone before them. With a valiant yell, the gate was opened and the horses took off.

They charged through the gate into the open field. In the distance there was forests. It was refreshing to them to be able to look up and not see a giant stone wall before them. Keith couldn't help but to take the sight in. He had forgotten what it was like beyond the walls.

"Don't lose focus," Levi shouted coming up by him. "A titan can appear at any time."

Keith shook his thoughts off and continued to keep a vigilant eye out. Something was off. There was not a titan in sight. Keith imagined that there would at least be one or two by now. The expedition was going too easy for them. It seemed to have put Keith on edge. Then the moment struck.

Nearby was in fact a titan that was coming towards them. They readied themselves for an attack as Keith prepared the flare. However, Hange ordered him to keep riding. As they got closer they found that the titan was incapable of attacking them. It had been dragging itself from the drop off point towards the wall. The poor being was unable to stand on its own two legs and therefore was unable to try and go after any of them. They rode their horses quickly past the titan and continued on ahead.

Since that one titan, they had not come across any others. It had become clear that most of the titans had now been eradicated after being contained within Wall Maria. Any titan that was outside of the wall now, was deducted to be newly transformed Eldians.

The remainder of the ride was long but smooth. In the horizon there was a large pile of sand and a wall. Keith remembered clearly the day he had first arrived to the land and had to walk up and down the stairs of the wall. It was nostalgic. Once they had reached the wall, they dismounted the horses. Keith was able to pick up a scent he well recognized. The scent of the ocean filled the air. It had been so long, he had forgotten what it was like.

When they made it to the other side, there it was. It was vast and magnificent. It was the ocean in all of its glory. Keith watched as the kids were eager to take off their boots and equipment to run in the water. Keith himself was eager to do the same. He ran alongside them taking off his entire harness and pieces of clothes. All that remained were his white pants as he reached the water. He was quick to dive right in and soak his hair into the warm waters. He laughed as he sprung back up.

"It's salty," he heard someone call out.

He presumed that someone attempted to drink the waters and laughed at the thought. He ran his fingers through his now wet hair as he felt the soft sand between his toes. He made his way closer to the others who were not as willing to go into the deeper waters like he was.

"Captain Aberdeen?" a girl with a long brown ponytail called out to him as he got closer. "What's that thing on your shoulder?"

"WOAH that's so cool," her friend called out.

Keith tried to remember who these two were. He remembered Mikasa, Armin, and Eren after dealing with them on multiple occasions. Through descriptions that Lana had provided he was able to pick out which one among them was Jean. Therefore, by narrowing down his options of Squad Levi, he confirmed that these two were Sasha and Connie.

"What, you mean this old thing?" Keith proclaimed looking at the mark of the clan. "It's called a tattoo where I come from. And this particular one represents my clan."

"You were in a clan?" Armin asked walking closer to him holding onto a handful of fine sand.

"Yes, I'm part of a clan known as the Corvus Clan. Although I'm not very proud to say that."

"Why is that?" Eren asked.

"The Crovus Clan has done some pretty bad things. Including the capturing and selling of pure blooded titans.

Everyone around him was interested in what he had to share. He spoke of his life on Rhea and what it was like. Eventually the group began to ask him questions about various things on Rhea. Keith was intrigued by their enthusiasm. He had begun to fully understand why Lana was so fond of them.

Keith looked down the shoreline and saw something he never expected to see. He darted over as quickly as he could concerning everyone else around him. He observed and examined a large tattered ship. The wood was rotten and the flags were destroyed, but Keith was able to make out exactly what this ship was and where it came from. It was the very same ship that the Sidonia Circus had initially arrived to Paradis on. He was amazed at the fact that it was still there after ten years.

The ship was an older style ship of Rhea. It once belonged to a fisherman who graciously gave it to them in order to achieve their goal. Most of the ships on Rhea were old fashioned wood to keep with an aesthetic structure. Keith remembered seeing them along the port with their various colored flags. He shared stories with the others about his time on the ship and explained what he was able to about each part. Considering how they had no nautical training they were able to manage the long journey to Paradis. Most of the terms that Keith shared were not the actual terms used for real sailors, they were just nicknames that they had developed. A sort of jargon that would make sense for everyone.

As the evening was drawing near, Keith sat on the wall with Levi.

"So what do you think?" Keith asked him.

"About what?" Levi asked taking a bite into some the rations they had brought.

"About the ocean, about this?" Keith continued as he sat down next to him.

"It's…breathtaking," he replied.

"Is something wrong?"

Levi remained silent. He was straight faced and stared out into the ocean. Levi was not one to talk about his feelings, let alone what was on his mind.

"Look, if you don't want to say I won't ask," Keith stated quietly.

"Lana had made a promise a while ago that she would be here with us. To show us the ocean."

"You really do love her don't you?" Keith replied with a sly smile.

"Shut it weasel," Levi said sharply.

"Easy, easy. I only have good intentions. If you really love her, I think you should tell her."

Levi was quiet for a moment or two. "It's not that easy."

"I completely understand that. I missed my opportunity long ago and my feeling changed. I found someone new. And you want to know what I did. I had to admit to myself that I loved her first before I could say it to her. And now here we are, happily married for six years with a growing son. If you were to tell me that I would be living a normal life like this twenty years ago, I would've laughed right in your face."

"Normal, I don't think I could ever live a normal life. Especially with someone like her. She deserves better."

"She wants you," Keith proclaimed placing his arm on Levi's shoulder in reassurance.

"Like I said, the first step into telling her that you love her is to admit it to yourself. If I can achieve a normal life, then so can you two. It just takes that one step that will lead to the next."

The soldiers returned to the wall with no casualties in the first time in their military history. Although it may not have seemed like it at first, they were able to gather valuable information. It is apparent that the Marley warriors had briefly been present within Paradis since the battle of Shiganshina. With the sighting of one titan, it was also clear that there had been no Marleyans present to transfer turned Eldians as frequently. With these pieces of information, there seems to be a sign that everyone can relax. Although there were still high possibilities for an all-out attack on those within the walls, it seemed that it is unlikely that it would happen any time soon. It was time for them to take this advantage and prepare a plan of action themselves. No longer were they caged beings. It was time for them to move beyond where they had never set foot before.


	28. The Family Bonds

It was early spring as the morning dew decorated the grass outside. Life within the walls had been calm and quiet. Things had returned to the way they were. The revival of Wall Maria was successful as residents have begun to make their return. With Wall Maria intact once more, agriculture had drastically improved. People started calling it a miracle.

Keith's accomplishments and heavy involvement has given him prestige recognition. He was like a celebrity, although he was no hero. The way he looked at it, he was merely just doing his job. He travelled to Shiganshina with his family to visit Lucas and his new family.

Within the last year Lucas had met his wife while in the line of duty. Farrah, was a resident of the Underground who had illegally travelled to the surface. Considering how those from the Underground are not allowed on the surface without citizenship, Farrah was cornered by the Military Police Brigade. Those who had cornered her were members of Lucas' own squad. When he received word about what was going on he immediately saw to the situation himself.

Upon his arrival he saw the poor woman terrified. Her face was dirty from falling in the dirt. The soldiers were prepared to detain her but Lucas put a stop to it. In Lucas' mind a person is a person no matter who they are or where they come from. They were a person with a soul and the ability to make choices.

He crouched down before her and asked her, "Why do you risk your freedom to illegally come to the surface?"

She laughed, "Freedom. You think that I have freedom? You're wrong, this is freedom. I can actually feel the sun on my skin. I refuse to go back down to that shithole and be treated like a rat or some thug. I just want a better life for myself and my son."

"That's enough out of you," one of the soldiers commented as he was about to detain her.

As the soldier stepped forward, he was blocked by Lucas' massive arm.

"That's enough," he scolded the soldier and turned back to the women, "What is your name?"

"Farrah," she replied.

"Well Farrah, welcome to the surface."

From that moment, Lucas was able to help her start a life on the surface. Although in the process he lost his status as a squad leader for disobeying military regulations. However, Lucas' compassion had rubbed off on his soldiers as others within the squad had started doing the same. Lucas had brought Farrah and her son Matthias to the housing units that Queen Historia had developed. Here they would be able to start a new life as citizens of the surface. In the process, Farrah would be able to earn their citizenships by working as a farmer.

Meanwhile Lucas had developed feelings for her. To him it was like love at first sight. Not long after Farrah and Matthias had moved to their new home, Lucas and Farrah were wed. The two moved out and moved in with Lucas in a new home within Shiganshina.

Keith and the others were excited to be able to see Lucas again after some time apart from one another. The two owned a fairly large farming house just outside of Shiganshina's inner gate. It was newly built and one of the largest houses within Wall Maria to be built.

Upon their arrival, they were welcomed with open arms. Farrah stood next to her eight year old son as Lucas was eager to greet his friends.

"There's my man!" Lucas shouted embracing Keith in a hug. "Robin, you're looking fine as usual."

"It's good to see you Lucas," she replied as the two of them kissed each other on the cheek.

"Uncle Lucas!" Sebastian shouted running up to him.

Lucas picked him up and lifted him up to his hip, "There's the little titan. Tell me, how old are you now?"

"Six!"

"Six! Wow," Lucas proclaimed with disbelief.

Lana was right behind Lucas and Robin with a large smile on her face.

"There she is, and who do we have here?" Lucas said with excitement as he put Sebastian down and reached for the bundle of joy in her arms.

"Lucas, this is Erwin."

"My, my, what a sweet little thing. Just like his mother."

"Oh Lucas, you remember my sister-in-law Alexandria?" Keith asked gesturing to the woman behind them.

She stood very tall for a woman. She was even taller than Lucas. Her brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun as round glasses sat on her face. Her dress concealed most of her body aside from her face with silver buttons going up from her waist to her neck. The dress itself was a dark mahogany a family color. Her expression was stern as a few strands of hair dangled to her chin. This woman was a fierce one to deal with. Robin is known for her quick wit and sharp personality, her sister was a different story. Alex is known for her strict mannerisms. If something isn't done by the book she wanted it all to be redone.

"Alex it's good to see you again," Lucas proclaimed reaching in for a hug.

"Don't touch me," She quickly snapped at him.

"Right, my bad," he apologized. "Well guys, welcome to our home!"

Everyone was able to reconnect with one another and strengthen the bonds that they have. Keith was able to relax and take a family vacation. However, due to his popularity within Wall Maria, he was unable to walk around without someone stopping him at least once.

Keith and Robin were taking a walk with one another within Shiganshina. They decided to take a look at some of the local craft stalls that had popped up. As they were examining a few of the items a sharp shrill could be heard from behind them. It was enough to shake their spine. The two looked behind them to see three eager young teens with wide eyes.

"You're Captain Aberdeen of the Military Police Brigade!" one of them shrieked.

Keith sighed but chuckled as Robin quickly blew them off and kept looking at the items at the stall.

"You helped with the restoration of Wall Maria," another cried out.

"It's nothing, and besides it wasn't just me. We wouldn't have been able to do any of this without the great efforts of the Survey Corps," he gestured to Levi.

They all stood before him with wide eyes. Keith shook their hands and they were all on their way.

"You seem to be popular all of sudden," Robin chimed.

"Well, Historia did make me the face of the restoration process with all of the public appearances and what not. It was bound to happen, and someone had to do it."

"Just don't let it all go to your head," she said raising an eyebrow as she made a purchase of a small necklace.

Throughout the day, people kept approaching Keith and asked him a variety of questions. He was happy to answer each one of them with great pride. Eventually, the attention was going to his head. Soon he found himself showing off his skills in front of a crowd. He promptly stood high on a table juggling knives as the crowd before him stood amazed and thrilled at the sight. However, it didn't take long for Robin to step in. She quickly got up on the makeshift stage and grabbed a hold of Keith's ear. She pulled him away from the crowd and the two began to make their walk back to Lucas'.

"I told you not to let the attention get to your head!" she shouted.

"Sorry, but I just can't help it. I am an entertainer after all."

"Not anymore!"

"Oh come, on where is your fun."

"You are annoying."

"Hey guys!" Lana called out breaking their arguments.

"Lana! Where's Erwin?" Robin asked.

"I left him with the others back at the house. Everyone went back for the day and they told me to go have fun."

"Fun, by yourself?" Keith questioned their motives.

Lana wore a big grin on her face as she looked over her shoulder. Keith followed her gaze to see Levi standing nearby looking at a stall.

"Now I get it, well don't have too much fun."

Everyone decided to take a small trip together into Wall Rose. With the large group they were lucky to find a place that will allow them to stay. Sebastian and Matthias were lucky to be able to share a room with one another as Keith and Robin were fortunate to have a room for themselves. This was the first time in six years that the two were able to actually be alone with no kid to really worry about.

While on their trip Keith couldn't help but to notice something. All around the town were large colorful posters. These were posters advertising the Odyssey Circus. Each poster was unique in design and featured a different cast member. Keith brought it up to the others and they were all eager to attend the show.

The group made their way to the fairgrounds excited to finally be able to see the show and what Felix has made of it. Lights decorated the area as food vendors were present. This was something new to them as they had not previously had food vendors before. Felix had brought in various people who were capable of providing a variety of snacks and beverages. This was another way for the circus to bring in some income as they were no longer completing any odd jobs that they had to do in Rhea. Instead of a stage like they had previously, they were welcomed to a vast tent that allowed for a variety of seats. On a platform there sat a few chairs for the musical accompaniment and singers. Large poles sat upright down below that held the tent upwards, but were also to be used for the acts. In the very center was a circular stage.

The show started off as they were all looking forward to what they were about to see. Felix stood before the audience in the very center. The blindfold he wore was black as his shaggy brown hair dangled in front. He wore a large smile on his face. His outfit was completely different as well. Unlike his normal white shirt and black pants, he wore a more whimsical outfit. His pants were dark blue in color and decorated with a gold trim. His shirt was a white button up with a dark blue tie. To match the pants, he wore a dark blue double breasted jacket. With black gloves and shoes and a black wooden cane he was stunning and confident. He grabbed a hold of his blue top hat and took it off with a bow.

"Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls, folks of all kinds I welcome you to the Odyssey Circus. I am Felix Whitly your Ringmaster and guide to a night of thrills." he shouted with such a powerful voice. "What you are about to witness tonight are death defying acts, beautiful women, and things that are just plain out of the ordinary. We welcome you all with open arms, for tonight you are not just audience members, but you too are members of our family," Felix lowered his voice and bowed once more, "Welcome to the fantasy."

Keith was thrilled, this was not the same person that was up on the stage a year ago. He had grown substantially. This was just the start of the show and Keith was already liking what he saw. He looked over as he could see that he wasn't the only one. Lana's eyes sparkled at the sight and Lucas wore the biggest grin on his face.

"Ladies and Gentlemen let us start the show!" Felix shouted putting his hat back on.

The crowd began to cheer as many performers entered the arena. The costumes were colorful and bright. There was a variety of people all shapes and sizes who wore big smiles on their faces. The entire production was something to be thought of as a dream. Although there was still the feeling that this was the same old Sidonia Circus like Felix had promised, he had really claimed it as their own turning it into something new. It was a new beginning for them.

"Now folks did you like what you saw?" he asked as a curvy women stood by his side.

She wore a skin tight body suit decorated and colored in the same fashion to match Felix. Her long light brown hair was tied into a long braid that reach to her lower back. Her make-up was dark and glamorous emphasizing her eyes as if to match the dark blindfold that Felix wore. Her face was stern as she too stood before the audience with extreme confidence.

The crowd cheered as they awaited to see what was in store. Felix introduced the first act of the evening Lioness. A small petite girl ran out before the audience as they all cheered. She was bubbly and excited to perform. The girl looked to be around sixteen or seventeen. Her outfit was not like the other women's but something more like an adventurer.

She then directed the crowd's attention to the large caged mountain lion that was brought out. There were loud audible gasps from many within the crowd as they were concerned as to what was going to happen. However, the girl still wore a smile on her face. She reached down to the whip at her side as the helpers had opened the cage.

The beast was quick to jump out and give out a loud roar. Many in the audience were on the edge of their seats as the music began to play. The girl danced to the music never missing a beat as the lion jumped at her a few times. It was enough for Keith to stand up from his seat.

After antagonizing the beast enough she stood in the middle of the stage. The lion circle around her and pounced. Many in the audience screamed, but the girl was fine. She dodged and leapt grabbing the large lion and pulled herself on top of the beast. She sat and maneuvered around on the lion as if the lion was a trained horse. The crowd went wild as she waved to everyone.

The evening continued with a man and women performing a trapeze act. Afterwards there was tightrope rope act done by two male twins. One act after another left Keith amazed at what Felix was able to complete. He was even able to bring in someone who called himself The Man who performed various magic tricks and illusions.

Partway through the show Felix had finally done an act if his own. A large wheel was brought out that had straps on it. He stood in the center of the arena and addressed the audience along with his assistant.

"Ladies and Gentleman, the next act requires a sacrifice, oops my apologies. What I meant to say was a volunteer. Now the volunteer will be chosen at random, so my dear Violet if you will."

"THAT'S VIOLET!" Keith, Lucas, and Lana shouted in unison.

Violet graciously lifted herself up and over the barrier into the stands. She gazed out into the crowd at the many individuals who were trying to coax her into picking them. However her eyes was drawn to one person. With a small smile on her face she pointed up at Keith and waved him down.

Keith quickly made his way down towards her. He jumped over the barrier and grabbed her hand as she guided him to the platform.

"Master, we have our volunteer," she replied with her cool almost sinister voice.

"Excellent, you know exactly what to do." Violet guided Keith to the wheel. She grabbed his hat and his glasses from him as he was strapped on by other members. "Now ladies and gentleman, as most of you are fully aware I am blind. I am unable to see anything. Now you may be asking yourself, how is he going to perform this trick? We'll you're just going to have to find out." Felix turned to face Keith, "Now my fine volunteer, do you have anything you would like to say just in case you won't make it back?"

Keith shouted with a smile, "Just don't hit my face, it is a work of art after all."

After hearing his voice, Felix immediately knew who it was that was on the wheel. He took his hat off and shook his head with a laugh. "Out of everyone it had to be you," Felix whispered as Violet handed him knives with golden handles. "Spin the wheel!"

Without hesitation Felix through the knife the second the stagehands stepped away. He threw it with such accuracy and strength landing it right next to Keith's leg. The crowd cheered as Felix turned and addressed them. The second he turned around another knife had left his hands. This one landed away from Keith's arm.

"Oh come on, that's all you got!" Keith shouted.

Felix grinned as he threw a knife in the air a few times. After the last throw he caught the knife and threw it towards Keith. This one had Keith worried a little as it had barely missed his crotch. Felix then threw two knives at once without hesitation. Keith remained completely still as they landed on either side of his face. He could feel the cold blade when he slightly moved his head. The crowd went wild as Keith remained wide eyed. This was a technique that was hard for Felix to develop. He was amazed at how much he had progressed.

Felix came over and started removing the blades from the wheel as the crowd cheered. Keith couldn't help but to feel proud of him and how far he had come. He looked up at the young man and saw someone who had grown and changed. As he looked up at him, he began to think of something.

"Hey Felix, do you want to take your act up a notch just for one night?"

"What are you talking about," he asked feeling the wheel for a knife.

"Well, we can throw a little mix of fear into this. Come here."

Felix leaned in closer to Keith as he was being unstrapped by the helping hands. Keith had a plan set in mind that would not only take Felix's act up a notch, but the entire circus performance. It was time to show off what he wanted to do and to bring in a little bit of fun for himself. Felix agreed that it would be an entertaining feature, but he was afraid of the potential risk that it may pose. He wondered what the audience reaction would be and feared that it would be a negative one. However, Felix's curiosity got the best of him and he agreed.

With Keith now off the wheel, Felix guided him to his side in the center of the arena.

"Ladies and Gentleman give a round of applause for our volunteer Captain Keith Aberdeen of the Military Police Brigade."

The crowd cheered as Keith waved to them. He took a bow and continued waving. He began to walk away but was stopped by Felix.

"Don't go just yet, I still have more for you to do," Felix shouted.

He pulled on Keith's shoulder and guided him to a board that was set up. He adjusted Keith to the board and sat him in the middle. Violet had no idea what was going on and only went with the flow of things. Felix called for her to bring him an apple to place on Keith's head. She handed Keith his glasses and hat and placed the apple on top. Keith made sure to stay very still to allow the apple to remain on his head. Felix took his stance with a blade in hand. Keith decided to be a trickster and grabbed the apple from his head. He placed it in his mouth and waited for Felix to throw his knives.

Without hesitation Felix stood before Keith a few feet away and prepared himself. Without any delay he threw the knife and landed it perfectly on the apple in Keith's mouth. It was at this point that the crowd went nuts. Keith pulled the apple out of his mouth using the knife. He threw it aside and stood very still.

One knife was thrown after the other landing very closely to Keith's body. This was the moment that Keith was ready for. He closed his eyes and held his breath waiting for the final blade to hit. Felix himself was reluctant at first to throw the blade. He was going against all of his instincts. However, he threw the knife. The knife left his hands and flew forwards. Keith clenched himself the moment that the knife struck, hitting him in the thigh. He let out a loud yell in pain as many from the audience gasped and screamed the minute that blood began to seep through his pants.

Keith made sure to play the scene out as much as he could. He dropped down to the ground holding onto his leg as the blood started to come out. Although the pain was real, it wasn't as bad as he had made it look. The stagehands were quick to attend Keith concerned for his safety. They were well prepared on what to do, however Keith told them that it was fine. Confused, they backed away as he pulled himself up from the ground. He pulled the knife out of his leg and threw it down to the ground. Keith reached down and ripped his pants, using the hole that was created, and revealed the wound he had received. He breathed in and blocked all sounds out focusing on nothing but the wound on his leg to speed the healing process up.

There was complete silence in the room as Keith closed his eyes to focus. Steam rose from his leg as the blood evaporated from his skin. Whispers could be heard from the audience as they witnessed the wound heal right before their eyes. In the matter of minutes the wound was completely healed.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you once again Captain Keith Aberdeen better known to us as Knives the knife throwing titan shifter."

With Felix's words, Keith let out large bones from his body. They were long and sharp tearing his clothes in the process. There were many mixed reactions from the audience, but mostly positive. Keith fed off of the excitement and flaunted.

The crowd began to chant, "Shift, shift, shift, shift."

Keith looked back at Felix for approval, "What do you think? Should I do it?"

"It's up to you," Felix shrugged.

Keith was eating up the adrenaline of the performance. In the back of his mind he knew that he was stealing the show and that he should probably stop there, but he couldn't help himself. He missed the stage lights and the cheering. This was also the first time he as able to fully display his powers in front of people without any shame. He decided to take this opportunity, for he didn't know when he would be able to have another one like this.

With a loud yell of his voice, a gust of wind surrounded him. His body began to grow as his skin began to tear. Bones formed around his exposed muscles creating an armor. As the dust cleared, he let out another loud roar. His low voice shook the ground beneath everyone.

When he had shifted back, he took one last bow and returned to his seat. His clothes damaged from the bones that had originally poked through his shirt.

"Well so much for that shirt," Lana commented.

"Seriously, I can't believe you," Robin commented.

"What?" Keith asked thinking his actions were innocent.

"You just had to pull a stunt like that!"

"Oh come on, everyone liked it. It was all fun and games!" Keith tried to argue his point.

"Unbelievable."

"I have to agree with Keith on this one Robin. It was entertaining. People like the unexpected sometimes. Besides, we grew up with this. It's hard for us not to. I'm just surprise you didn't do that sooner," Lucas stated leaning over to Keith and Robin.

"To be honest, I probably would've done the same," Lana chimed.

"Well I think this whole circus is unorthodox," Alex scoffed, folding her arms and turning her nose.

"Yeah, well no one cares what you think," Keith proclaimed.

When the performance ended the group wanted to speak with Felix and catch up. However, as he stood by the main gate he was bombarded with fans. He stood with Violet speaking with many people. It was decided that it was best that they left him alone to his work and return to the house.

Throughout the night, Keith couldn't help but to notice Levi's uneasy behaviour. Although the others couldn't see it, it was clear to Keith that something was on his mind. He noticed that as they were walking he kept one hand in the pocket of his jacket. Almost as if he was protecting something from falling out. He quietly walked up and caught up with Levi and Lana.

"Levi, buddy ol' pal. Can I speak with yea alone for a moment?" Keith asked with a smile on his face. He forced himself onto Levi who tripped in the process pulling his hand out of his pocket. Keith reached inside to find something was being guarded.

Levi had a look of disgust on his face but agreed to his request. The two waited for the others to keep walking on ahead before Keith could figure out what was going on.

"What do you want?" Levi snapped.

"Oh I don't know, but you maybe want to explain this?" Keith said with a sly smile on his face as he held up a small box.

Levi was angered and quickly lurched forward to grab the box.

"Not so fast," Keith stated raising his hand up so that Levi couldn't reach it. He was thankful to be the taller one in the situation considering how Keith was usually referred to as the short one.

"Give it back you moron!" Levi shouted.

"Now that's not a very nice way to ask for something."

"It's important, now give it back."

"If it's so important then why don't you tell me what's inside?"

Levi looked away and cringed. "It's a ring alright. Now hand it back before I kick your ass."

"Seriously," Keith proclaimed as he handed it back over.

Levi was quick to snatch it out of his hands and walk to catch up with the others. Keith kept asking questions but was only getting snarky snarls in response. He ran up ahead and caught up with the rest. By chiming in Robin's ear, he was able to get everyone to make it so that Lana and Levi would be alone.

Once back at the house it was decided that the entire group aside from Lana and Levi would go see Felix once again. They left as Robin was bubbly with the excitement. Keith watched as Levi glared at him from the door. Keith's only response was to give him a wink and a thumbs up for good luck.

As the group made their way back to the circus they were welcomed with open arms. Felix was eager to be able to escape the clutches of the reporters and fans who were ecstatic about their performance. He sat in the communal quarters with his shirt undone to let himself cool off. Violet had concealed herself with a robe as she sat next to him with a drink in hand.

"So it was really a ring?" Robin was quick to ask.

"That's what he said," Keith replied with a smirk. "I just can't believe it. It's funny to think it."

"Why is that?" Farrah asked.

"First off, it's Levi Ackerman. A man who's known to have a heart of stone. He is considered to even be humanities strongest soldier. Plus it's Lana."

To everyone's belief, the two were engaged to be married. Robin was more than thrilled at the thought of her new best friend being married. Keith was thrilled for Levi to finally be happy. Everyone was supportive. Arrangements were to be made for the wedding as many had found out. The wedding was going to be an official Military wedding making it a bigger deal than they had originally wanted. It was around this time that Lana had learned that she was pregnant with her second child.

Even though the others were ecstatic about the wedding, both Levi and Lana had disappeared with Erwin around the time that they were supposed to be wed. When they had returned, it had become apparent that the two of them had eloped. Keith was outraged with the thought but he respected their decision.

Lana and Levi had purchased a house of their own on the outskirts of Wall Sina allowing Keith and Robin to have the house to themselves once more. They were sad to see Lana and Erwin move out but they were happy for them. Although Lana would be living alone most of the time due to Levi's commitments, Robin was eager to help out in any way that she could. She promised to come by as much as she could. The family bonds with everyone had become stronger than ever, an everlasting bond.


	29. News

The sun was shining and the birds were singing. Keith woke up to another glorious day. It was peaceful and calm as ever. Sebastian was already awake and dressed. He was in the kitchen cleaning the counters like a good young boy. The young seven year old had already matured drastically for someone of his age. He turned to face Keith and smiled.

Robin had already left to tend to Lana who had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl. She decided to name the girl Isabel after a dear friend of Levi's. Sebastian was on his way to school that he was enrolled in as Keith got himself ready for work. It was a beautiful day.

He walked through the streets and waved at many who greeted him on the warm morning walk. It had been just about two years since the battle of Shiganshina and Wall Maria's reclamation. Things were going well for them. A defence unit was initiated to monitor the outside of the walls. Anything out of the ordinary was to be reported in immediately. Eventually the plan was to expand their region and eventually monitor the shoreline as well. They wanted to be well prepared for whatever was going to be thrown at them.

The Survey Corps was using information given to them by the Military Police Brigade to develop new technology to better their defences and attack. They were no longer fighting against titans, but people as well. It was a strange concept to think that titans were not the enemy after all. It was the people who were making the titans.

Keith sat with Nile Dok as they were going over plans and procedures as per usual. It was a moment of bliss. Keith couldn't help but to be in a good mood. He gazed out at the window and watched the clouds above.

A knock at the door broke his moment of peace as Luca came in. Luca was normally an energetic individual who usually spoke his mind without fearing consequences. However, the usually energetic boy was serious. His eyes were dark and his voice was calm, almost as if his personalities were switched.

"Commander," he saluted, "there is a concerning report form the Garrison patrol along Wall Maria."

"Is it the Marleyans," Nile abruptly said.

"We don't know sir. They have recovered an individual from beyond the walls. He was found unconscious at the base of it. So far they are transferring him here to have him detained and questioned. There is no further information provided."

Nile looked over at Keith who perked up from the window and was eager to find out what was going on. At this time, they needed to proceed with caution. They needed to go in believing that the individual in question was a shifter sent from Marley.

"Aberdeen, I want you to be the one in charge of this. Get any information out of him as you can and find out if he is a threat to us."

"And if he is," Keith asked.

"Then I believe that you are more than capable of making the decision yourself," Nile stated with cold dark eyes.

Keith responded and began to follow Luca to the detainment center. They awaited for the unknown person to be brought in and withheld in the cell. So far from what information they could find, the person was a male, somewhere between the ages of thirty-three and thirty-eight. He was a taller man with brown hair and facial hair. Scars were strewn throughout his body suggesting that he had been through something along the lines of torture years ago. He was a tall man who was fairly thin but well built.

The two of them waited until the stranger regained consciousness and was ready to speak. As a precaution he was wrapped in such a way that would prevent him from inflicting any sort of self-harm. This was just in case he were to be a shifter of Marley. Along with being wrapped up, he was also chained to the ground to prevent him from trying anything. He was leaning up against the cold wall when he woke.

"Where…where am I," he asked in a groggy voice.

He turned his head to see where he was being kept and realized that he was chained up. At the sight of the chains he began to panic and throw himself around.

"You are in a detainment facility under the watch of the Military Police Brigade," Keith replied in a low stern voice.

Keith remained focused and serious, it was something Luca had never seen before. It was enough to send shivers up his spine as Luca was taken back by the nature of his superior officer. He took a step back and watched the scene unfold before him. It was Keith's goal to get every ounce of information out of the man. Whether he was a threat or not that didn't concern him.

As days had gone by, Keith had tried to speak with his superiors in regards to the future of the military. He knew that at the rate they were going, they wouldn't stand a chance against Marley. Their enemy was already an unknown force to be reckon with and the thought of going up against them in their state was fearsome. Any sort of information he could get was viable information. After Keith's recommendations being neglected and ignored, he began to feel stuck and unprepared.

"State your name," Keith demanded standing straight and upright to appear more assertive.

"Victor, Victor Challenger. Please, give me water," he gasped as he hung his head low.

Keith turned to Luca and gestured towards Victor. Luca reached down at his belt and pulled the keys that would unlock the door. He clearly was nervous to go inside, not knowing what to expect. A glass of water sat on the table outside of the door which Luca had grabbed and began to bring in for the prisoner. Keith watched as Luca crouched down low and raised the cup to Victor's lips.

"Now that you've had your water, are you willing to talk?" Keith questioned him as he stepped inside.

Luca quickly bolted out of the room and let Keith handle the situation on his own. The timid boy stayed behind at the ready.

"What do you want?" Victor snarled.

"I want to know who you are and where you came from."

"I already gave you my name. Why should you care where I'm from? You're probably just going to feed me to the damn dogs anyways. You soldiers are all the same no matter where you come from. You all speak of justice and the good of the people, and yet you have people dying at the hands of the military for being nothing more than different."

"Watch your tongue," Keith growled at the man.

"Why should I! You Knights, and Warriors, and soldiers all prance about with your head up your asses failing to recognize the corrupt world you live in. You think that everything is fine because you are doing the right thing. But is it fine when you slaughter innocent people for defending their own rights? Their rights as a human being. Everyone has the right to live no matter who they are or where they come from. You are the same, just like the soldiers of Marley and just like the Knights of Rhea."

Keith lost his serious demeanour immediately. His arms dropped as his eyes widened.

"What did you just say?" he quietly asked.

"I sad that you are all just the same."

"No, after that. You said, just like the Knights of Rhea."

"What's the point," Victor yelled.

"Are you from Rhea?" Keith asked with extreme concern.

"Born and raised in Drokish."

"Luca, the keys," Keith called back. He turned to face Victor, "I have every reason to believe that you are no threat to us. I have confirmed that you are not one of the warriors of Marley."

"I despise them and what they are," Victor snarled through his teeth.

"For that reason alone, you will gain your freedom. However, there are still some more questions that I would like to ask. I will give you a fresh change of clothes and a hot meal to regain your strength. For now you will remain within the barracks of the Military Police Brigade under the watch of Luca and myself. You are still a suspicious character and due to recent events, we cannot take any risks. This alone is a risk."

Keith unchained Victor from the ground who was confused as to what was going on. He wasn't the only one. Luca tried to convince Keith that what he was doing was a grave mistake. However, Keith was following his own instincts. Victor was a person from Rhea, a person from his homeland. That alone established a level of trust in Keith.

He set Victor up under watch by Luca who was still unsure as to whether or not he would need to report in his superior officer. He had every right to be concerned. Luca believed that Keith only let the prisoner go due to his connections to Rhea, Keith's homeland.

Although Keith deep down inside didn't want to say it. When Victor had brought up Rhea it was an altering point in the entire situation. Keith had so many questions about what was going on in Rhea. He wanted to know everything that had happened over the last twelve years. He wanted to know what was going on in the world beyond the walls. He felt like a dog in a cage. He was starting to go insane, or at least that's what he felt. He didn't want to be cooped up within the walls anymore. He wanted to be able to have the freedom to travel. Although he never did any traveling beyond Rhea, it was still nice for him to have the option. However, he couldn't neglect his duties as a soldier. He needed to see what Victor knew about the Marleyan army and what they would be up against. He remained awake during the entire night wondering. He was able to reflect on the current situation that was at hand. His moments of bliss were shattered at the reminder of what was beyond the walls.

The following morning Keith was ready to speak with Victor. He was going to get answers no matter what the circumstances were. He walked through the barracks and was greeted by an unwelcoming sight. Luca stood before the door, not wanting to make any eye contact. However, Luca was not alone. Nile stood next to him furious with the latest decision that Keith had made. He immediately furrowed his brow in anger and prepared himself.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He yelled. "Do you understand what you could have done?"

The sharp tone in his voice struck Keith. However, Keith remained still and calm as he could be. His cold icy stare were like knives. This was not the fun loving Keith. This was the Keith that he normally keeps locked up. The Keith that gets his way no matter the circumstance. He was there for answers about the life beyond the ocean, and he was going to stop at nothing to get them. However, Keith understood the situation that was at hand. He was at risk of losing everything at that very moment if he didn't play his cards right. He was capable of restraining himself from lashing out to get the answers and calmly spoke to his Commander and reiterated himself.

"With all due respect, I have reasons to believe that that man in there is of no threat to us," Keith proclaimed gesturing to the door behind them.

"And what makes you so sure of that. Because he is from your homeland, is that it?" Nile continued to yell. The veins of his neck sticking out in pure rage.

"If you were there listening to what he had to say you would understand that he is of no threat to us. Yes, being from the same land had made him more favorable in my eyes. However, my responsibilities as a commanding officer outweighs my own wishes and desires. I have to think of the good of the people and the future of this land before my own wants. With that being said, my priorities lie with the intentions of developing the necessary materials to gain the upper hand for our military. "

"Then you better have some explaining to do," Nile began to calm down a bit but still wore a stern expression.

Keith took in a deep breath and remained calm. He didn't falter with his words. "From what I could gather the prisoner, or rather Victor, had been through a lot. The scars on his body is proof of that. Not to mention, he has the ideology of a revolutionist. He is neither a soldier nor a warrior of Marley and even went as far as to express his disgust towards military in general."

"And that's you reason? You don't think he is going to go strike a revolution here! We've already been through hell like that!"

"One; Victor appears to have no connections to anyone within the walls. Two; from his own words, it appears that he is originally from Rhea but has been recently living within Marley. From the way he talks, it sounds like he was causing trouble with the government over there. In response, I do believe that's how he ended up here on Paradis. Much like the Eldians, I do believe he was cast aside and exiled for his actions Due to his ancestry being from Rhea rather than Eldia, they probably were unable to subject him to the serum. That means he has had direct contact with the military of Marley. Meaning that he had has information that may benefit us. He is one man, we are an army." Keith's expression remained still as he watched Nile adjust himself.

It was clear that Nile was taken back by his words. Keith's assertive behaviour was not faltering with any movement. He was straight forward and stared down at Nile. He did nothing more but stare. Luca was conflicted as to what to do. He kept looking back and forth between the two of them. It was clear to him that he did not want to get involved with anything.

Nile's eyes twitched due to Keith. "You've thought a lot about this Aberdeen."

"I will not deny anything. I've come to speak with him and find out everything that has been going on beyond these walls. Right now the only thing that stands in the way of gaining any sort of advantage for this kingdom is you."

"Very well, but if were to find out anything that would suggest that he is an enemy. I will personally handle you myself," Nile scowled as he pushed past Keith.

Keith remained fixated on the door in front of him as he was thrown off his balance. He didn't care what Nile had to say. He was determined. He turned to Luca who flinched at his gaze.

"Don't make it seem like I don't know what you did. I will deal with you later," Keith proclaimed once more with his lower voice that pierced through poor Luca.

Keith turned back to the door and made his way inside. He was relieved to get out of the situation and to be put back to where he wanted to be. He wanted to speak with Victor and see what he knew.

The room was quiet. It was almost too quiet. In a panic, Keith realized that Victor was not in the room. He had used the bedsheets and climbed out of the window. Keith ran to the window to see if he was nearby.

At the realization that he was nowhere to be seen, Keith shouted, "Damnit!"

He quickly turned and sprinted out of the door with Luca not far behind. As he ran down the hall, he ran past Nile. Keith's sudden outburst was of a great deal of concern.

"Aberdeen," Nile called out, "ABERDEEN!" he continued as he began to sprint after him.

Keith ignored his calls and continued down the hall and out of the barracks. He sprinted down the road and made his way into town. Once he reached a certain point, he stopped in the street to catch his breath. He scanned the area to see if there were any signs of Victor anywhere.

Nile and Luca eventually caught up with him.

"Aberdeen, you better explain to me what the hell is going on!" Nile yelled drawing the attention of others.

"He wasn't in his room. He climbed out of the window."

"I'm sorry sir. That was my fault, I failed…"

"Not now Luca. We'll deal with that later. Right now out priority is finding Victor. That man has information about what's beyond the ocean. The only information that will give us any sort of advantage about the war that is to come. He is the only reason people will actually start listening to me when I say we need to do something," He continued to scan the area. "Luca, I want you to round up the rest of the squad. We'll split up and search the city. If he is found, detain him without harm and fire a red flare."

Luca was prompt and quickly sought after the others. However, Nile was not happy about the situation and how it had progressed. He grabbed the collar of Keith's jacket and slammed him into the nearest wall.

"I should have you court martialled for this Aberdeen."

"Do whatever you want, I don't care anymore after all the shit I've been put through. Nobody is listening to me when I say we are screwed in this fight against Marley. I'm going to find that man and find out what the hell the world has come to. If we are about to head into war I want to do all that I can so that my family and I can survive. I've lost my entire family once, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let that happen again," Keith screamed pushing Nile off of him.

Audible gasps could be heard from those around them witnessing the sight. Nile knew that there was no way he could take on Keith alone. Keith pushed Nile off of him and made his way down the street in search of Victor throwing his uniform jacket off in the process. His eyes darted back and forth trying to search for him. He gave up trying to search for him on foot and decided to take to higher ground. Considering how he was not equipped with his maneuvering device, he was quick to climb up the nearest pole onto a roof. Once up top, he darted from roof top to roof top at full speed. He could feel himself grow tired after searching for so long while using much of his energy trying to stay atop. However, he pushed himself and leapt from the rooftops effortlessly. In a way, it reminded him of his youthful days running in a cloak on the rooftops hunting down his target.

A red flare could be seen in the distance prompting Keith to sprint at full speed in the direction. Someone within his squad had found Victor and captured him. Keith was not about to let this opportunity go to waste.

When he made it to the scene, Victor could be seen held up at gun point by Oscar and Mia. Luca and Emilee arrived shortly after Keith did and responded with the same action.

"Lower your weapons," Keith called out.

Victor had hate filled eyes as he was cornered up against the wall. No one within the squad responded to Keith's squad.

"I said lower your weapons," Keith tried calling out again angrily.

This time everyone exchanged glances at one another and dropped their weapons one after another. Victor was confused but still remained on high alert.

"Why did you leave the room?" Keith asked.

"I don't appreciate being locked up."

"Funny you sound like a friend of mine."

"Some friend of yours if they have to go about saying stuff like that," Victor snarled.

"I don't exactly understand what you've been through, but please let me assure you that we mean well."

"Says the guy in charge of these hounds."

Keith took in a deep breath to try and calm himself down. He was trying to watch his words and approach Victor in a polite and calm manner. However, it seemed like anything Keith tried to say would set Victor off.

"You had the option to leave through the front door. Why choose the window?" Keith asked.

Victor stammered. It was at this point that Keith realized he had caught him. This was his opening.

"Please, just come with me. I'm sure if we can talk things over, everything will be straightened out. Not just for you but for the both of us," Keith stated holding out his hand.

Victor was reluctant to take Keith's offer. He was like a stray dog fearing for his own safety.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Trust me or don't. It's up to you."

Victor made the decision and calmly followed Keith. The rest of the squad returned to their normal duties. Mia and Keith escorted Victor back to the barracks where he would be questioned.

It was quiet in the room as Victor and Keith both sat at a table. Victor refused to make any sort of eye contact as Mia brought in a glass of water for each of them. Keith was aware that it was going to be a long day at this pace.

"Why don't we start things off by telling each other a little about ourselves? I'll start. I am Captain Keith Aberdeen of the Military Police Brigade. I'm thirty-seven and I have a loving wife and a seven year old son. I've been with the brigade for about eight years now. You're turn."

Victor remained silent.

"Alright, I guess I'll just keep talking about myself. I have a knack for knives, it's a hobby of mine. I also rather enjoy history, it fascinates me." Keith paused and looked away, "I'm also from Drokish, the capital city of Rhea."

Victor right away perked up, "You're from Rhea?"

"Believe it or not, I am. I used to live with a travelling circus."

"You don't mean the infamous Sidonia Circus do you?"

"Oh, so you've heard of us?" Keith replied with a sly smile.

"All I know is that the circus disbanded almost thirteen years ago."

"That much is true. Let's just say that one of our members got themselves into a bit of trouble. And well, you have to stick with family right? So here we are now."

"So I'm just supposed to trust you now that I know that you're from Rhea?"

"Well if I told you that I have titan powers, would you trust me then?"

"I don't believe you."

"Sir are you sure that's wise?" Mia chimed into the conversation.

"If I'm going to gain all of your trust, I might as well throw down all of my cards right?" he proclaimed reaching for the concealed knife in his jacket that he had picked up.

It was clear to Keith that Victor had become uneasy. He waited to see what was going to happen as Keith reached for his hand with the blade. He firmly grabbed a hold of the blade and pulled it out causing his palm and fingers to be sliced open. Victor's eyes widened at the absurdity. However, he watched as Keith began to heal right before his eyes.

Keith leaned forward onto the table. His glasses shone in the light as the remaining blood evaporated from the table. "So Victor, why don't you go on and tell me about yourself."

Victor Challenger was a child who grew up in Rhea. However, his childhood was not as pleasant in the beginning as others. His mother sold him to a man who treated him as a slave. It was during this time that he began to grow hatred to those who treated others in this way. He began to feel that everyone deserved to be treated with the same amount of respect, no matter who or what they are.

It was at this time that he befriended two others. They were the only ones keeping him sane every day. One of them had managed to escape and had beaten their owner. It was at this time that the he and the other child were able to retaliate against the man themselves. The beaten man was driven to find the one who started it all and therefore neglected to take notice of Victor and Xavier.

Victor had used this to his advantage and planned a way for them to get out. By using a party, the two were able to hid among the crowd and make their escape. They retreated and were found by a local religious group. The group helped the boys and brought them into the local orphanage. They were then adopted by separate families but stayed connected with one another. They often wondered what became of their other friend after their escape.

He took up the last name Challenger and lived with his adoptive family. He watched those who were less fortunate than he was be treated poorly. They were often discriminated just because of what they didn't have. He even watched those who were of different skin be treated with the utmost disrespect. It was the same for those who were claimed to be titans. It made Victor sick knowing of what was out there in the real world. He began to grow more hate to people who he felt were just like the man who had once enslaved him. It was enough for Victor to want to make a difference.

He grew up to be a merchant and lived in Marley alongside Xavier. There he saw the same thing. Those who were of different blood being isolated and branded by a mark. They were treated differently from others because of who they were. He felt that this was not the way any sort of human being should live. He began to preach of equality for everyone. He felt that the government was wrong and that the military were just dogs following orders. No one deserved to be living in this sort of matter.

Victor's words caught the attention of not only those who shared the same beliefs, but of the government themselves. While Victor was a man of words, Xavier had more of a radical approach. He and Xavier were captured and detained for further questioning. Victor refused to let himself be treated this way and fought back by any means necessary. In response, the Marleyan government had treated him just like they would treat a person recognized as a person of Eldia.

He was brought to the land of Paradis where he was bound up top of the wall. He stood beside Xavier as his friend was injected with a serum and met his fate down below. Victor watched as he was turned into a horrifying creature. Victor too met the sand below them, however he did not receive an injection. The soldiers believed that his fate would be to be eaten by his friend.

Victor was left to die as the soldiers left them. However a remarkable sight occurred just as the soldiers had left them. Xavier had not succumbed to the injection and refused to eat him. He wandered away from Victor and began to run screaming as if he were in pain.

Alone, he was able to get himself untied and began to head straight after Xavier. However, he had lost sight of him and was left to wander the plains alone. That's when he came to find the wall and was brought in before Keith.

Victor remained in the barracks for the time being after sharing information on his background. Keith was amazed by his tenacity. The man was strong willed and fought for what he believed was right. He had a strong sense of justice and Keith respected that.

Although Keith had succeeded in his goal of speaking with Victor, it would not go without consequence for his actions. He stood before not only Nile but Darius Zackly as well. Keith remained firm and stood his ground.

"You are fully aware why we have brought you here before us, correct?" Darius began.

"Of course I understand that my actions were deemed questionable."

"They were more than questionable. What you have done had risked not only the well-being of your fellow soldiers, but the well-being of the entire town." Darius removed his glasses and paused. "However, upon further investigation ourselves we have concluded that this Victor is an asset. If what you are saying is true, then this man can help give us the information we need in order to defend and attack the Marleyan Warriors."

"That is correct sir." Keith couldn't help but to feel overjoyed that people were finally listening to him.

"Very well, you are dismissed."

Keith was astonished that he did not receive any punishment of any kind. He left without saying a word believing that if he were to say anything then they might change their minds. He was quick to leave the building and turn in for the night.

He was greeted at home by the usual chime of Sebastian. The young boy was excited to see his father once more. Earlier on in the week, Keith had promised that the two of them would work together and build bird house. What Keith had wanted, was to also refine Sebastian's titan abilities.

Robin sat in the dining room cleaning off guns that she was wanting to prepare for a hunt later in the week. She smiled at Keith as he prepared the materials necessary for the bird house. It was a great bonding time for the two of them to share. The house they were building was small but still good nonetheless.

Keith carved away at the wood as Sebastian was beginning to paint some of the pieces. Their quietness was abruptly interrupted by the door swinging wide open. Lana, was present with Isabel in her arms and Erwin held in a pouch on her back.

"Howdy, Howdy!" she called out.

"Lana, what pleasant surprise. We weren't expecting to see you today!" Robin chimed.

"Well I figured I was in the neighbourhood, and that I should stop by! So what's new?" she proclaimed setting Erwin on the ground with a toy.

"Well, we recovered someone from Marley the other day," Keith stated fixated on the piece of wood he was carving.

"Seriously!" Lana shouted as she lurched towards him.

"Yeah, says his name is Victor. And get this, he's originally from Rhea."

"No kidding," Robin replied as she got up to prepare some tea.

"Yeah, Victor Challenger. A revolutionist of some sort. Says that his preaching got him into a lot of trouble. That's how he ended up here."

"The Marleyans threw him over the edge," Lana stated quietly.

"He wasn't thrown alone though. He had someone with him that was turned. His friend disappeared though so there is no sign of him. I haven't even heard of any titans being found on the outskirts. Even on the first expedition we only came across the one."

"So where is Victor now?" Lana asked.

"Right now he's in the barracks. Just until he can find accommodations of his own. I'm hoping to meet with him tomorrow to talk about the changes that have happened in the last twelve years."

"You mean stuff like weapons?" Robin asked.

"Precisely. We need to know exactly what we're up against if we are going to face the Marleyans head on."

The room was silent as Robin brought the tea over to the table. Keith passed Sebastian the piece he was working on so that he could paint it, and graciously accepted the tea.

"Say Lana, didn't you say that one of the boys from your childhood was named Victor?"

Lana thought back, "Yeah, I'm surprise you remember that. That was so long ago. Besides, I have reasons to believe that he is no longer with us."

"Are you sure about that though? I mean anything is possible."

Lana looked down at Isabel and smiled, "You're right, anything is possible."

The following day Keith was ready to speak with Victor once more in regards to the recent changes that have happened. He wanted to know what was going to be expected with the upcoming battle. Nile was to be present during the questioning to hear the answers first hand. Everything that would be discussed would be brought before the Queen and further action will be taken.

Victor sat at the same table with Keith and Nile on the opposite side. He was melancholy as if all life had been sucked out of him. Bags were under his eyes suggesting that he hadn't slept decently in quite some time.

"Let's start things off, I want you to tell us what we need to be prepared for," Nile proclaimed.

"What?" Victor snapped in confusion.

"What he means is, is that we are trying to get ourselves ready to face the Marleyan army and we need to know what we are up against."

"Good luck with that, the army has started to become a bit of a laughing stalk if you tell me," Victor replied placing his head on his hand.

"I'm sorry?" Keith was unsure as to how to take what Victor was saying.

After Reiner Braun and Zeke Yeager, the Armored and Beast titans, had returned to Marley their military strength had declined. Neighbouring nations received word that they had lost two of their titans and had begun to proceed forward. Advanced weaponry was designed to take out titans specifically. Tanks, guns, ships, and much more had improved drastically. The technological advancements were beyond what anyone in Paradis had come to imagine. Airships were being used for travel and warfare.

Keith feared the worst. He knew that with what Victor was saying, they didn't stand a chance with the technology they had. However, he began to theorize that they were relying solely on the titan powers. From the sounds of it, it was only the neighbouring nations that had created weapons that could take down the titans with ease. To further speculate, they were only able to take the titan down and not fully kill the person who was in control.

The information that Victor had provided was indeed valuable in every aspect. They now knew that they were up against not just several titans, but stronger weapons. They were once a force to be reckon with to the surrounding countries but were now falling. Keith wanted to take this opportunity and strike back. They were weakening and this was their chance.

"They know that without the other titans, then they will lose all control that they have," Keith proclaimed. He stood up and began pacing back and forth in the room. "We need to be ready for them. They could attack at any time and try and take the titans that we do have."

"What makes you so sure that they will come?" Victor asked.

"For one, we know that they will not hesitate to come to our shores. You are evidence of that. Two; they know what sort of military weaponry we have due to their insiders. They know how we run, they know how we'll move. But if we can stay just one step ahead, then I think we have a chance. They're going to want to come after the other titans and take back what they lost."

With the meeting over, Keith bean to escort Victor back to his room. As they walked through the halls, they were greeted by a familiar face. Standing in the corridor was Lana, dressed in her old manner. She wore her old khaki pants and white button up shirt with a black vest. Her hair, now reaching her shoulders, danced gracefully with her every move.

"Lana, what are you doing here?" he asked, taking notice to the papers that were in her hands.

She quickly tucked the papers in her pocket and gave a smile.

"No reason, I was just curious to see if anyone from the Survey Corps happened to be kicking around."

"You know you shouldn't be hanging around here. Besides who's with the kids?"

"Don't worry they're with Robin. Everything is fine."

"Lana," Victor quietly pushed passed Keith.

"I'm sorry, do I know you," she asked pulling the hair behind her ear.

"You're alive! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE REALLY ALIVE!" he shouted and jumped towards her.

She stepped back and held her hands out to keep the stranger away.

"You're eyes, they're the same as long ago, the smile, the hair. Everything about you. You have to be her."

Lana kept eyeing towards Keith for help. The two were unsure as to how they were to handle the situation.

"Don't you recognize me!? It's Victor…"

Lana stared at the man before her as she scanned every inch of his face. She shook her head in disbelief.

"No, there is just no way," she took a step back once again and stared at him in horror. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, we used to clean the floors together. Remember, this," he held out his hand to show several long scars that went across it. "Remember when Master struck me with the sword after we had stolen pieces of bread."

The words were triggering to her. Almost as if there were things that she had been suppressing. Tears formed in her eyes as she refused to hear what he was saying or rather seeing the fact that he was still alive. She kept saying "no" under her breath.

"Remember the time that the Master held a party and you bled all over the piano because he made you play for so long. And remember how Xavier and I helped you after he had struck you with a brick. Then there was the time that Master had chained you in his room and Xavier and I held you afterwards."

"No…No….NO!" she kept shouting.

"Victor that's enough," Keith tried to make him stop.

"Remember how you escaped. You turned into that thing and nearly killed the Master. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here. Lana please tell me you remember the time that we were enslaved to Master!"

"STOP IT!" she shrieked.

Keith felt the crack in her voice as it shot up his spine. Victor remained silent and didn't say another word as if he were frozen. Keith was quick to console her and pull her away. He ordered one of the soldiers to continue escorting Victor to his room breaking him from Lana's control.

Lana was brought to Keith's office to try and calm down. She was shaken up at everything as Keith had offered her a cup of tea to calm her nerves. She stared into the cup and didn't say a word. He remained quiet and vigilant as she sat in his office.

"You know, he did escape from the Noble. Says it was because of you. When he became so fixated on you, he and your friend were able to escape. They grew up with loving families after being adopted from an orphanage. Victor says he's a merchant from Marley. Funny, how things all seem to be connected," he quietly said as he stared out the window.

"They're alive," she whispered.

Luca came to the door and was quick to walk in. "Keith we have urgent news!" He shouted.

"Now's not a good time Luca," Keith sternly replied gesturing to Lana.

"But we've captured another outsider. He was found outside of the wall. Says his name is Xavier."

Lana quickly got up from the chair and dropped her cup causing it to shatter into pieces as it hit the ground.

"Take me there!" she ordered Luca.

Luca was unsure as to how to respond to her abruptness. He turned to Keith who nodded in response.

The three of them began to head towards the main courtyard where Xavier was to be brought. Victor was also with them waiting to his friend. Garrison officials pulled up with the cart that contained the captured person. The door opened and Xavier fell from his seat to the stone below.

Victor was quick to run towards him and made sure that he was ok.

"Xavier, it really is you. But how? I saw you transform. You were injected with that stuff."

"The only way for someone to revert back is to eat someone who already has the powers of one of the nine titans," Lana stated with horrific eyes.

"That's what all of our reports say, so how the hell is he like this." Keith looked up at the men before him who gave no answers. "I want a men guarding the wall immediately. I want to know if there are any signs of anything. We need to know if the Marleyans are here or not."

"It's not what you think," Xavier called out. He slowly got up from the ground, "I did not eat anyone. Yes I was injected with the blasted stuff, but I did not eat anyone."

"Then how is it that you're normal?" Keith was confused.

"I'm not. I never really was to begin with. I always could feel it within me, I just could never pull it out." Xavier stated.

His eyes were dark and intimidating. It put him on a high alert as he readied himself for the worst. Lana did the same as she was waiting for Xavier to make a move. Her emotions were conflicted as she refused to say anything else.

"Whatever that stuff did to me did nothing more than awaken something that was dormant. I can feel it through me, this surging power that I have long awaited for. It was only a matter of controlling the mindless drone that I was becoming. Just like that blasted girl all those years ago. I can finally take my revenge on the people who've done me wrong. I will claw their eyes out and make them pay for all of the pain and suffering that they have caused to not only myself but to others as well."

"I…I don't understand," Keith stated.

"You morons. Don't you get it! I am no ordinary human. I AM A BEAST AMONG MEN!" he shouted.

His skin began to grow hard and scaly. Long claws formed from his fingers as fangs were visible from his mouth. He began to grow in size. Although he was not as tall as a titan, his features and strength were labeled on the same level as one.

"Xavier! What are you doing, this is not what we want. These people are here to help us." Victor called out as he watched the transformation.

"Cram it would you," Xavier shouted as he dug his hand into Victor's chest.

Blood began to pour from the wound as Victor was struggling to breath.

"You really think that the dogs of the military give a rat's ass about our problems. I am tired of being treated as garbage. Now with this power, I can finally make those pay for what they've done," he continued pulling his hand out.

The surrounding soldiers began to open fire. Their shots were proven pointless as the bullets ricochet off of him.

"My mother would be so proud that I've finally became the son she wanted. My father a mere human could never understand this power. And yet it feels so good! It's too bad that they died before I could show them. And they died because of people like you!"

Xavier shouted and swung his arm, knocking out several of the soldiers. Keith was preparing himself to attack but watched as Lana was the first one to dart in. With her head down, she shifted into a beast herself with her long massive fingers aiming for Xavier's neck. Keith was right behind her and called for his bone spikes after throwing his jacket off.

He stood above them both as Lana struggled to fight with Xavier. Her strength was not what it used be after being out of action since the birth of her son. She was thrown to the ground allowing Keith to have a moment to strike. With his fists, he aimed for the back of Xavier's neck. The force was enough to knock him down to the ground. However, it wasn't enough to subdue him.

He had quick reflexes and dodged the next attack that Keith had thrown at him. The speed was incredible and almost hard to keep up with. Xavier had Keith in a hold, digging his claws deep into his flesh. In defence, Keith let out several spikes through his body to pierce Xavier. Although the spikes didn't penetrate him, it did lift him away from his body.

Lana had recovered and gotten up from the ground and joined. Her skin was now exposing her muscles as she grew in height. She and Keith both stood at ten meters tall as Xavier remained at five meters. They had the upper hand and were able to bring Xavier down to the ground. Lana had used a technique she rarely used and formed a crystalized structure around her hand. She swung her fist up high in the air as Keith had done the same. A single spike was formed from his wrist as he swung down.

In that instant Xavier was dead. There was no further explanation as to what was going on. Upon further examination, Victor had died as well due to his wound. The bodies were collected and brought in for an autopsy. Things had died down and everyone was able to relax. There were no other reported deaths. Those who were injured lived to tell the tale.

It was discovered that Xavier was a half-blooded titan. One of his parents was a human while the other was a pure-blooded titan. Unlike Sebastian, Xavier's powers were dormant. The injection that he had received upon their arrival on Paradis had awaken the powers. The overwhelming powers and his unstable sanity had driven him mad with power. This lead to him causing the destruction in the courtyard.

The discovery meant that there were more things out there than they realize. There was no telling what people were capable of. A defending team was organized to remain out by the shoreline. They were to report of anything that seemed to be out of the ordinary. Further development was necessary in order to better prepare themselves for what was out there.

Keith and Lana were cleaning the blood off of their hands alone.

"I'm sorry," Keith broke the silence.

"For what?" Lana replied quietly.

"For the loss of your friends. For everything that happened today."

"Don't be. Besides those men out there weren't my friends."

Keith questioned her philosophy.

"They were two strangers who had separate lives from what I thought. The time we shared as kids was so long ago, and we have all moved on from that. Some in different ways than others. What has come to be has come to be and-and I accept that," she stated drying her hands off.

She turned to Keith and gave a smile. Keith could see the smile on her face and knew that she meant every word of it. However, the tears in her eyes said otherwise.

"Besides, now we know what to expect with half-bloods. Even though pure-bloods like us are extremely rare, it's just as rare to see someone who is a half-blood. I bet there are plenty of others just like that on Rhea."

"We don't know that though. We don't even know if there are any pure bloods like us over there to begin with."

"Well, we will just have to win this war and see for ourselves, don't we," she said through her smile.

"We?"

"Forget that I said that. Things are going to be different now aren't they?"


	30. What Lurks in the Shadows

It had been three years since the reclamation of Wall Maria. Progress as being made to counterattack the Marleyan Warriors as technological advances within the walls was increasing. New developments were being made to the current vertical maneuvering gear. This would allow the user to attack someone who was a titan or a normal human being.

As progress was being made, the front lines of Paradis were being attacked. Soldiers were sent on a regular basis to prevent the Marleyans from returning. The shifters Armin and Eren were often found on the front lines defending the land when needed. Keith was sent every now and again to ensure back up was provided.

Never before had he believed that he would be using his powers for war. So far things were looking up for them. Their battle was far from being over. Although the war was beginning on the outside of the wall, there was a different type of war raging on inside the walls.

Reports had been flooding in about an unknown drug coming to the surface. The drug had been seen in the past before. In the reports, those affected by the drug experienced hallucinations, bouts of aggression, sometimes losing consciousness, and even death. With the increase in the reports of the drug it had become known as Clouded. A drug recognized as clouding the mind of all judgement and sense of reality.

Queen Historia had been made aware of the increase usage of the drug. The current investigation was starting to become dangerous for the lower division Military Police Brigade. Casualties had been accounted for during times where the investigation had some sort of lead. The Commander and the Queen decided that it was best to take care of the people within the walls once the shorelines were stabilized.

Keith had returned from the latest trip to the shore exhausted. Although there were no fights that had taken place there were ships visible from time to time. He was welcomed back to the office with the reports on the latest drug. He was not looking forward to the long nights and patrols that would occur already feeling the stress. All he wanted to do was to return home and rest for a while. He was stressed and overworked, not able to get a good night's rest.

After a long while, Keith had returned home. He and his squad were able to gather up some missed information after compiling all of the reports and evidence together. They had a lead that they would check up on and proceed the investigation from there. In the meantime, Keith was eager to rest his head and relax.

He sat quietly in a chair by the crackling fire. The fire was warm and pleasant, lighting up a good portion of the room. Robin was nearby sewing up patches on the latest holes of Sebastian's pants. While Sebastian was reading a book on the ground.

Keith broke the silence, "Sebastian, have you been practicing like I asked?"

Sebastian eagerly got up from the ground, "Yeah dad! Watch!"

He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to show his bare arm. While making a fist it was clear that Sebastian was focusing very hard on his wrist. A bone slowly began to poke through the skin to form a spike.

"Very good, keep that up and you could be almost as fast as I am," Keith replied lifting up his own wrist to have a bone spike come out twice as fast.

"No transformations in the house, how many times do I have to tell the two of you," Robin shouted.

"The boy needs to practice. It's as my father used to tell me. Aufschub bringt Gefahr."

Robin raised an eyebrow, not able to understand a word he had just said.

"I would rather him learn how to use his powers and strengthen them now because we don't know what could happen down the line."

Robin was quiet as was Sebastian. However, Keith sat there with a smile on his face as he soaked in the moment.

The following afternoon, Keith was on patrol alongside Emilee. They were scouting the area within the city to see if there were any signs and hints that they could pick up. Luca and Oscar had approached them with the latest report.

"Keith, glad we found you," Luca proclaimed.

"What do you have for me?"

"Does anybody in our squad care about titles other than me!" Emilee shouted in annoyance.

The three of them turned to her for a brief moment and then proceeded to ignore her comment.

"We can confirm that James Vanderwald is a distributor of Clouded. We have reports coming in from various eye witnesses as well as people who have been detained claiming that he was the one who gave it to them."

"Excellent, we will go to his house with the proper paperwork and arrest him. Once locked up, we'll question him, get out answers, and go from there. Good work, both of you. I want you to continue your patrol and see if there is any further evidence or possibly any other distributors."

"You're the boss!" Luca proclaimed as he began to walk with his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner.

"So what are we going to do?" Emilee questioned.

"You are going to go check the place out. Don't interfere just observe. I want you and Mia on that."

"And what do you plan on doing?"

"Something tells me that it isn't just Vanderwald's doing. I have a sneaky suspicion that this is a little deeper than we may have originally thought?"

Emilee turned and questioned him.

"Clouded has been around for some time. But most of the reports in previous years have been from residents of the Underground or someone involved with the Underground in some sort of way. Now, there are more reports from people with no connections to the Underground at all. I'm thinking that Vanderwald is just a supplier and not the source."

"So you're going to the Underground to check things out yourself," Emilee pieced everything together.

"Precisely."

"It's risky," she commented.

"Yeah, but that's what makes it fun and worthwhile," he said with a smile.

That evening, Keith made the trek down the steps into the Underground. In all of his years living within the walls, this was his first time viewing it himself. He calmly walked down the dark stairwell dressed in his casual attire. He dressed in the same manner he would have back in his days within the circus on a mission. A dark black hooded cloak concealed most of his face as he wore all black clothes. He made sure he had his gun in a holster to at least have something to defend himself with without relying on his powers.

He was greeted by an older gentleman. His grin showed signs of missing teeth and his face appeared to be cracked due to age.

"If you want to go any further, you must pay the toll." He held out his weathered hand waiting for the change.

Keith grimaced at the idea of a toll both. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The old man still held his hand out and waited for the change. Keith proceeded to look for the change needed to get through and handed it to the old man.

It wasn't much farther until he had reached the city. There were a few people walking about. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. It was just an average city designed long ago. A few people sat in the street and watched Keith as he walked by.

In an area such as this, Keith had no idea where he was going to start. In a situation like this he remembered the steps his parents taught him during their missions together.

He whispered them to himself, "If you don't know who or where you target is, let them come to you and show you."

Keith waited for something by leaning up against a wall and smoked his cigarette. He watched the various people interacting with one another, going about their evening business as per usual. Eventually, there were two people who caught Keith's eye. One of them carried a larger rifle on his back while the other had a small bag. The man passed the bag and he received something in return.

"Find the target," Keith whispered. "Follow the target and stay out of range."

He threw his cigarette to the ground and began to follow the man who had the bag and the gun. He made sure he kept his distance and was quiet. In this situation, it was like a flick of a switch in Keith. It was feeling he had long forgotten.

Old instincts were kicking in after many years. He was light on his feet and quiet, not making a sound at each step. His focus was well maintained as his eyes were fixated on the man. If anyone were to see the expression in his eyes, they would be intimidated by him. The eyes weren't the same joyful carefree eyes. They were the eyes of a predator.

Keith followed the man down an alleyway. This was a bad sign for Keith. If he were to continue down the same alley then the man would catch on that he was being followed. Instead of continuing further, Keith used the walls of the alley to jump onto a rooftop and continue. He was able to get a bird's eye view that way and see if the man interacted with anyone else.

He waited on a rooftop as he watched the man enter a building. The building appeared to be a housing complex of some sort. Keith analyzed the area and determined that there were many people living within each house. Nothing seemed too far out of the ordinary. He waited and watched for any signs.

After about an hour or so, he determined that the man lived alone. The man left the house with the bag and the gun. Keith decided to leave him to his business.

"Let them go, gather information on you target, and gain the upper hand," he whispered.

He jumped down from the roof and approached the house once the coast was clear. As to be expected the door was locked. He reached into the sleeve of his jacket and pulled out his small lock picking tools. Once the door was unlocked he was able to take a look inside and find out more on his target.

The house was a normal house, nothing was out of the ordinary. It was something to be expected. Just an average house. Keith walked through and began to examine various items making sure he kept his black gloves on. He picked up a painted picture of the man and a young girl. Although, upon further inspection Keith learned that there was no little girl present within the house. Normally Keith would be saddened at the thought, but his mind was too focused on the task at hand.

He began to flip through the drawers of a desk and came across a letter. All that was written was, "I will never forgive you" in dark ink. Keith threw the piece of paper back and continued his search. He found a smile vile of Clouded within the desk. Keith's intuition had proven correct with the assumption of the man's involvement. He pocketed the drug and left the house. He decided that his best option was to locate the target and continue from there. Right away he learned that he had a family and the family was gone. Most likely it was the cause of his involvement with the creators of the drug that had driven the family apart. Although, due to the minimal furnishing it seemed that the man didn't have much as was willing to do anything to either make money or get his family back.

"Be prepared and begin the hunt," Keith whispered as he ran and climbed his way back onto the roof.

He ran across each rooftop in the direction that he saw the man go. Once he reached an opening he scanned the area to assess the situation and determine where he could have gone. He jumped down to the ground and adjusted his cloak. Once on the ground he began to walk around the area and observed once again to try and catch the scent of his prey.

"You look like a man who'd be willing to help a gal out," came a crackling voice from behind him.

An older woman stood before him. She held an unlit cigarette in her hand and gave Keith a devilish grin. Keith complied with the woman and lit it for her. He didn't say a word to her and just kept to himself.

"You're not from Panthera are you?" she questioned.

Keith turned to her and questioned her.

"You know, the big dogs. The ones who've been causing a lot of trouble. The biggest crime syndicate the Underground has seen in a long time. You must be if you're going around dressed like that. If you ask me, you lot should take things down a notch. Listen, you should tell your boss to calm down otherwise everything is just going to blow up in his face. He thinks he is all that, because he took over the Jackal's warehouse."

Keith continued to keep silent as he watched where she was gesturing. He turned away and ignored the rest of the conversation. The woman called out to him but he ignored her and calmly walked towards the warehouse.

The warehouse was fairly small, but to be expected. It was fenced in with two guards at the front. They were armed and alert. Keith waited in the shadows.

"Don't risk being exposed. Distract to get past or strike for fun. And a Crovus likes to have fun," he said with a sadistic grin coming over his face.

Keith gripped onto the handle of his gun and pulled it out. He pointed it at one of the guards. A large part of him wanted to shoot and kill the man and the thought of it made him smile a little more. Growing up with the Crovus Clan and being exposed to their ways had turned Keith into someone with a sadistic side. As a child he grew accustomed to injuring people and even killing them at a young age. The thrill of the blood on his hands would excite him. During his days within the circus, he used the same methods on higher risk missions that the Crovus Clan would provide them. Keith followed the steps and procedures of a full-fledged assassin. Although his parent's didn't want Keith to be exposed to such evil acts, they had to do it for the sake of all of their safety.

However, as Keith grew up and away from the Crovus Clan, he began to grow conflicted. He was no longer the assassin that he was growing up to be. He had begun to see himself as a weapon or a monster. He didn't want to be around people and kept himself secluded. However, Lucas had brought his walls down and Keith began to change into the person that he is now. It was a constant struggle for Keith as he would undergo the circus' jobs from the Crovus Clan. Each time he would slip into what he called his "other self". He hated what it was and what it was doing to him. He tried his hardest to keep it within him and not let it surface.

He had a similar sensation during his fight with Nicholas long ago. Seeing the blood spill out reminded him of those days long ago. The blood that came from his hands. The same went for the encounter with Jack. Although they were like brothers to him, there was a small part of him that had always wanted to do that to them. He rather enjoyed the color red that spilled from them.

However, after the incidents Keith had forced himself to contain that other part of him for good. He kept himself out of situations that would cause him to slip into that mindset, refusing operations and missions. Although, the stress of his recent duties on the shoreline and the fight he had had with Xavier had caused his mind to revert into the old ways. He fought hard to keep that part of him in check. But as each day went on he could feel it slipping out. He didn't want to be that person anymore, and yet it was still a part of him.

He quickly turned his gun and fired it at the torch that was near the gate going against the voice inside his head coaxing him to shoot the man. The men began to move away from the gate with their weapons at the ready. The two of them split off with one of them coming closer to Keith. Keith was quick to pull the man into the shadows and cover his mouth. He quickly snapped his neck enough to put the man asleep. With the other one not near the gate, Keith made a run for it.

He leapt over the gate and darted towards the warehouse. He shook his head to snap out of his mindset. He firmly gripped the gun and calmed himself as he could feel his heart beating. He kept himself together at the realization that he was close to snapping the man's neck fully.

He watched as he began to refocus on his mission putting the gun back into the holster and looking for a way inside. Once inside he was able to hide behind some large canisters. There he was able to hide near an empty room as four people approached. He closed his eyes and listened, taking in the moment once more.

"Excellent work. I'm glad you were able to get the stuff."

"It was hard but I managed to make it work."

"Here is your payment. Let's move out."

"Thank you sir."

Keith narrowed down the sounds. He could make out three sets of footsteps walking by. That indicated that one stayed behind. Using a nearby reflection of one of the metallic surfaces, he was able to identify the man as the one he had been following. The bag he held was gone and he was currently counting a stack of cash. He began to walk away which prompted Keith to strike.

"Isolate the prey and go in for the kill."

Keith sprung out from behind the canister and grabbed a hold of the man. He kept one hand over his mouth preventing him from screaming with another holding a knife to his throat. A part of Keith wanted to slit his throat and get it done and over with, but there was a part of him that stopped it. He could hear a small voice in his head. It wasn't just any voice. It was the voice of his son. The urge to kill the man died down as he threw him into the empty room and closed the door.

"Wh-what do you want!" he called out to Keith.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Please just let me go, I'll do anything!"

"What business do you have here?"

"Huh!"

Keith repeated himself.

"I'm a transporter. Look I'm not wanting any trouble, please! I just do what I'm told. It's not like I want to transport drugs!"

"And is that what you're daughter wants?"

The man looked stunned. "How?"

"Tell me who you deliver to."

"Please just let me go. I don't want to do this anymore! I just want this all to end."

"I'm not going to ask you again," Keith lowered his voice.

"Vanderwald, James Vanderwald. He works with his father in a shoe maker shop on the surface," the man cried out.

"And now the cat's out of the bag," Keith quietly said with a smile as a small moment of relief came over him for completing his mission.

He left the man to whimper in the room and made his way out of the warehouse. Getting out was easier than getting in as he didn't care if he was seen. He quickly made for a mad dash through the gate and down the alley. Gun fire could be heard as the guards were shooting at him for intruding. He sprinted as fast as he could back above the surface. He even went as far as to bypass the toll booth. With the information that was collected he was able to start a full investigation on James Vanderwald.

The following day, Keith had ordered Mia and Emilee to undergo the investigation. He waited for their return in his office. When they arrived to report in he was eager to hear what they had to say.

"So what do you have for me," he asked with a small smile.

However the expressions on their faces told him that the news was not good.

"We arrived at the shop to find James Vanderwald dead," Emilee began.

"We believe that this is the doing of Panthera. It appears that word had gotten out of his involvement. They decided to take it upon themselves to take out the problem. His father, Jacob, had money stolen from his shop in the process," Mia reported.

"It seemed that killing his son didn't suffice," Emilee added.

"Something doesn't feel right. My guess is that there is something else going on in the matter. I want you to bring Jacob in for questioning. Start off with basic questions not mentioning anything about the drug and Panthera. See what he says and assess the situation from there," Keith ordered.

Emilee saluted while Mia nodded in response. The two left Keith to his work as he compiled the information he knew and what he was looking for. Before they walked out Mia turned back.

"You should know. When we arrived at the scene, your wife and sister were there tending to Jacob."

Keith groaned at the idea that the two of them were now involved with everything. Knowing them, they were hot-headed, stubborn women who had a large sense of right and wrong.

When Keith returned home, he was welcomed to Lana and his niece and nephew. He knew that there was no way he was going to be able to avoid questions about the incident that had taken place earlier that day. He tried to remain quiet as he let the stress of his work get the best of him. He was still tired and exhausted not letting himself rest fully. He decided to bite the bullet out of hours of not saying anything.

"So I heard that they two of you saved a man," he openly started the discussion.

"I wouldn't call it save, we simply just helped him from bleeding out," Robin chimed with a small smile.

"Either way, he lives," he replied with a cold undertone.

"Do you know why he was attacked to begin with?" Lana asked.

Keith knew both of them too well. He didn't want to share too much information because he knew that they would go off on their own.

"We are still going through the questioning process but as far as I can tell it involves a syndicate from the Underground. From what we can tell, they call themselves Panthera."

"So what are you going to do? You plan on doing something I presume," Robin was wondering.

"The Underground is out of our military jurisdiction you know that."

"So you're just going to let them get away with what they did?" Robin angrily shouted.

"I've said it once and I'm going to say it again. Panthera is part of the Underground out of our jurisdiction therefore out of our hands. Unless Historia wants us to get involved then we will."

"I can't believe you."

"What do you expect me to do? From what we know, Panthera is a ruthless organization. This is what they do. If they were regular citizens above ground then I can legally go in full force. But because they are an Underground organization we can't do anything. Especially right now. We can't put ourselves at the risk and go up against them."

"What are you talking about? You are the Military Police Brigade," Lana raised her voice.

"You know what, forget it. Forget I said any of this. You two shouldn't be getting yourselves involved in any of this to begin with. This conversation is over," Keith responded sternly and loudly.

He got up from his seat and stormed out of the house. He was letting the stress get the best of him. He knew at this point that nothing he was going to say was going to make matters any better.

He stood outside in the cold night air with a cigarette in his hand. The door creaked open and Sebastian stepped out. His bright blue eyes looked up at him concerned for Keith's well-being. Keith immediately put out the cigarette and addressed his son.

"Dad are you mad?" he quietly asked.

"Mad no. I'm just a little frustrated at your mother and aunt."

"Why?" Sebastian questioned.

"Seb, let me tell you a little something about the two of them. They are both very driven people. Once they have their hearts set on something they will stop at nothing to get there. I just don't want to see them get hurt. I love them too much to let that happen."

"So you're not mad?"

"Come here you little squirt," Keith chuckled and pulled Sebastian to tussle his hair.

Sebastian laughed and tried to push him away. "Dad I'm not little anymore!"

"You'll always be little to me. When you can transform into a titan bigger than me, then I will stop calling you squirt. Deal?"

"DEAL!"

Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary when Keith returned inside. The three of them carried out the conversation as if nothing had happened. The talk with Sebastian had helped calm Keith down enough to regroup his emotions.

The following day Keith had gone to work like normal. He performed his regular duties alongside the Commander while his squad carried out the investigation. When they returned with a report they had learned that Jacob Vanderwald was involved in Panthera alongside his son James. Jacob had admitted to being a supplier of various materials that were used to make the drug. He had the connection to gather up the chemicals and other ingredients. Meanwhile, James was a distributor of the drug. Jacob would give the supplies which would come back to James to sell. However, James had started pocketing the money for himself. When the leader of Panthera found out, that was when he struck. He killed James and took Jacob's money to compensate. They spared his life, killing James as a warning to Jacob.

After confessing, Jacob was going to be locked up in prison. His sentence was up to fifteen years in prison for his involvement.

It was a long day as Keith had passed out in his office. He was reviewing the latest technological advancement that they had hoped to have competed within the next year. As he laid his head on the schematics drooling all over them, a soldier had swung the door open. The abruptness was enough wake Keith up from his sleep and see the intruder. He grabbed his glasses to see Luca standing before him with a concerned look on his face.

"Boss, you don't look so good," Luca proclaimed, "Anyways, I have urgent news to report in. I have already reported to the Commander."

"Alright!" Keith gestured for him to continue.

"The armory was broken into. Our patrol team stationed there reported that a canister was thrown and shot at. The shot caused it to explode."

"Do you have a description of the perpetrators?"

"No, it seemed like they knew exactly what to do and when to hit."

"Like an inside job," Keith said to himself. "What was taken?"

"A rifle, a couple of knives, two revolvers, ammunition for said revolvers."

"Ok so nothing too major that we need a heavy team."

"Not exactly. One of the items that was taken was one of the vertical maneuvering devices from the old anti-personnel squad."

"You're kidding me!" Keith slammed his hand on the desk.

Luca shook his head in response indicating that his words were no joke. Keith immediately had an idea as to who was behind the robbery. There was one person he knew that knew the armory like the back of their hand. The other person knew how to get passed people without getting noticed and how to use the new v.m.d. Keith had a bit of a laugh to himself thinking of the situation. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't convince the two of them to not get themselves involved in the situation.

Luca stood before him confused. He waited for his orders.

"I have a feeling I know who might be behind this," Keith commented rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I want you and a squad of six people to wait by the main Underground entrance. I have a feeling that the culprits went down that way and will be back up. Remain there until they either turn up or until I say so."

"You got it!" Luca said with a bit of excitement in his voice.

Keith was not looking forward to seeing Lana and Robin behind bars. But he knew that was exactly what was going to happen. The two of them broke the law and there was nothing he could really do about it. He decided that the best approach was to dig up old files on the two of them that were kept in the discharged soldiers file. His next approach was to contact the Survey Corps and let Levi know what was going on.

While he waited for their return Keith took a look at the schematics on his desk. Commander Nile had already approved of the work to be done with the involvement of the military. It was Keith responsibility to come up with a strategy and training procedure. The schematics that were on his desk were naval vessels.

People within the walls had experience with ships, but at a much smaller scale. Keith was one of the very few who had the experience with a vessel designs for the sea. Although Keith himself did not know exactly what he was doing, he at least knew where to start.

A few months ago, a ship from Marley was retrieved. It was studied and it was taken apart. This allowed those on Paradis to find out what to do to make a ship make the trip across the ocean. With the information they were able to start building warships of their very own.

Keith vigorously wrote down all that he could remember with handling the ship while sailing. It had been thirteen years since the last time he had been on one, but he was able to remember key parts and procedures. His eyes were growing tired the more he wrote and he found himself asleep on his desk once more.

The following morning, Luca once again barged into his office to report in. He startled Keith, this time experiencing Keith's powers first hand. The surprise had caused Keith to react in such a way that caused his bone spikes to pierce through his uniform. As he calmed himself down, Luca explained to Keith that it was in fact Lana and Robin who had been the culprits. They were currently under arrest along with the boss of Panthera.

"You have got to be kidding me, they actually managed to capture the boss!" Keith proclaimed.

"Yeah, I have a team down in the Underground right now investigating this warehouse where they said they got him. So far there are no reports on any casualties. It seems that the two of them were playing vigilante. They even managed to follow the proper procedures aside from breaking and entering."

Keith rubbed his face in frustration at the new thing that had been piled on him.

For the next few days, Keith worked up a report from Luca and the rest of his team. It was confirmed that there were several containers of the illegal Clouded drug within the warehouse. All materials were confiscated and all involved were arrested. The current sentences for those involved was to be determined. However, the questioned remained was what would happen to Robin and Lana.

Due to their crime they could not go without receiving some sort of punishment. Keith did all in his power to lessen the blow as much as he could. He dug through all of the reports of their past to bring into the light. With the help of Levi bringing Lana's file, he was able to come up with valuable information that would prove that they meant no harm. He even went as far as to state that the two of them had proven that their security needed upgrading. Keith spoke in front of the officials alongside Levi and a decision was to be made.

After a couple of days of working on trying to get them free, along with his own duties, and the small responsibilities given to him by the Queen, he was finally able to make the trip to the cells. Here he would be able to confront the two of them and inform them of the situation. The closer he got to the cells the angrier he seemed to get. It was reminding them of how stupid they acted and how all of this could have been prevented. He felt more stressed out than ever before and he put the blame on them.

He and Levi stood before their cells. They each didn't want to look at their husbands. They knew exactly what was going to come to them. They waited to hear what was to be said as Keith and Levi did nothing more but stand in silence.

With a deep breath, Keith finally said what was on his mind. "What were you thinking," Keith began, "I told you not to get involved and now look at you. Look at what you've done. Do you not realize the consequences of your actions? The recklessness! What would have happened if you wound up dead? Did you even take a second to think about the kids! The thought of them losing their mother! I can't believe you both would go behind my back and do this after I specifically told you not to." His voice was getting louder and louder at each passing word.

Levi glanced over to him and raised a brow in response. It was clear to him that Keith was losing control over himself.

"What we did was get the guy's money back and take down a crime lord," Lana answered back.

"What you did was irresponsible," Levi scolded.

Keith was relieved that Levi at least understood the severity of the situation.

Robin got closer to the door of her cell and grabbed onto the bars. She stared into Keith's eyes as they were filled with anger. "Irresponsible as it may be, we stopped people from causing more damage. Something that you couldn't do."

"Do you really think we were sitting on our asses doing nothing!?" Keith shouted. He took in a deep breath and continued in a more calm and yet stern voice, "Let me tell you something. That man that you supposedly got the money back for, was a supplier. That man was providing them with materials they needed to make that drug. In return they gave him a portion of the proceeds. His son, was one of the distributors of the drug. During our investigations of the drug induced incidents we learned that. We also learned that the son was putting a good portion of the money in his own pocket. That's why Panthera went after them. We were planning on taking Panthera down ourselves. We were going to have people get them from the inside out."

"Why didn't you tell us this from the beginning," Robin shouted slamming herself up against the bars.

"Because I thought that if I told you any of that then you would do something to try and help. But clearly I was wrong either way."

Keith could feel the blood boil within him but he did his best to keep himself calm.

"Alright, so what happens now?" Lana asked.

"Right now you are being withheld for stealing the maneuvering gear and guns," Keith answered.

Levi leaned up against a wall, "It appears that the court may be in your favor."

"How so?" Lana asked walking up to the bars.

"It seems that Panthera had held some sort of authority within the Underground. Now that they have been disbanded, various people have turned themselves in. The ways of the Underworld are unbalanced right now and there are some criminals who see as turning themselves in as being the best option rather than trying to restore the power. Plus there was the control that Panthera had on certain families on the surface."

It was clear to Keith that Levi knew a little more than he had originally let on. He was quite surprised as to how knowledgeable Levi was.

"On top of that, the notorious drug has been confiscated. Not to mention the fact that we learned that we need to upgrade our security procedures. You did everything in one night with no casualties. We are able to question these men and figure out how big this network really is." Keith stated with a sigh. "You are both very lucky. If it weren't for your previous records and involvement with the military you would have been locked up for ten years. You will only have to be locked up for a few more days. Afterwards you are free to go home. Just promise me that you'll let us handle it next time. The court recognized your methods and procedures as part of standard military protocol. Aside from the stealing, everything seemed to be by the book."

"You can take the soldier out of the fight, but you can't take the fight out of the soldier," Lana chimed with a grin.

"Once a soldier always a soldier is what I always say," Robin relaxed a little.

He was glad that everything was over for now. The two of them would return home to their families. It was obvious to Keith that no matter what he could have said or done, there was no way of changing their minds. The moment that the two of them had gotten involved, they were hooked and determined to do what they felt right. It's what makes them who they are and that's what Keith loves the most about them. They were fighters, they could go through hell and still come back with a smile. Keith wondered if that's how he was. With things the way they were going he began to feel like he wasn't much like himself anymore. Lately he was high strung and angry. He wondered if it was just because of his work, but he started to believe if there may have been an underlying cause to all of it. Just a few days ago a part of him he kept locked up had resurfaced again, and the thought of it scared him.


	31. A Father to His Son

Keith woke up just like any other day and walked in to find the house empty. He was alone and was surprised to have the house to himself. There was no note as to where Robin and Sebastian were but he didn't think much of it. He walked out of the front door and leaned on the fence of his porch. With a cup of tea in his hand, he looked out into the street to see the happy people going about their daily lives.

A few who had recognized him greeted him and he waved in return. Since Robin had been released from the cell she had been clinging to Keith. It was almost her way of apologizing for her actions. Although he knew that she had no regrets, he couldn't help but to wonder what it would be like if something were to happen to her. He wondered what it would've been like if she didn't return alive.

The thought ran through his mind on what he would do if that were ever to happen. The pain he would feel was going to be hard enough. Even just thinking about it made him hurt.

As he was lost in his thoughts he was shaken by someone calling his name. He turned to see Commander Nile down below.

"I've come to confirm the latest work," he shouted.

"But sir, I'm off duty for once. Please can I just have this time to relax?" Keith whined.

Nile glared at Keith which prompted him to let him inside.

"I have reviewed the latest reports on the ship development. It seem things are going well," Nile began as he stepped into the house. "With that being said, your own statement on policies and procedures will be recognized when we launch."

"Holy cats, really? It's fine?" Keith replied in disbelief.

"Very much so. On top of that the case has been closed on the Clouded investigation thanks to you and your team. Everything has been straightened out."

"Well I can't take all of the credit, I did have a bit of help," Keith stated taking a seat and placing his head in his hand in a very relaxed manner.

"Wall Maria is now ninety percent back to where it was before. Again thanks to your initiative."

"I was there for the first year. All I've been doing lately is going back and forth every once and while to make sure things are in order. Lucas Anderson is a key factor there right now. I was just giving the orders and getting it started. I mean, think about the work you've done too sir."

"But you made sure the order was established to begin with," Nile proclaimed pointing a finger at Keith and leaning in.

"You've also helped on the front lines when needed, have been the personal escort to the Queen, been her military advisor as well. You have selected an almost near perfect squad. You were once an elite soldier who saw the treachery and helped open two of the biggest scandals that our Brigade has ever seen."

Keith began to wonder why Nile was really there to begin with.

"You mean the whole uprising incident?"

"That and the times you took down Nicholas and Jack."

"But that was so long ago. Besides why are you bringing all of this stuff up?"

Nile leaned back in his chair. His face began to grow stern causing Keith to be more on edge.

"I am taking you off of all of your duties. You've done more than your fair share and you need to relax for once. I am even willing to overlook the little incident from a few months ago with the outsiders."

Keith paused to process what he had just said. In that moment, he couldn't believe what he was saying and began to laugh at the thought. There was no way that he was going to believe that Nile came all this way to tell him to take time off.

"I'm being serious Aberdeen."

Keith stopped laughing and stared at Nile. There was something about him. Almost as if he had something else up his sleeve. He wanted to know what angle he was playing at.

"There's a catch isn't there?" Keith questioned.

Nile breathed in and spoke in a serious tone, "The Queen wants an audience with you and your squad. She wants to discuss the advancement procedures that we want to take. I suggest that you prepare yourself and perhaps look into people who would be replacing you."

The words took Keith by surprise. He was not surprised that he was going to meet with Historia, but he was shocked by his last comment.

"Sir, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that in your absence a replacement squad would be needed."

Keith didn't question things any further. He quietly complied and accepted that this was a task he was assigned.

Nile handed him the notice for the summons with the Queen. It was scheduled for later in the afternoon that day. The look in Nile's eyes was of concern as if he knew more than what he let on. Keith decided it was best to not ask him anything and to wait until the summons.

He appeared at the main office in his official uniform. He hated wearing the long jacket, especially during the warmer months. The gloves would also irritate his skin a little due to the type of material they were made of. No matter how uncomfortable he felt, he loved the way he looked in it. It made him feel powerful and good about himself. He always felt better while wearing that uniform.

The badges on his lapel signified his rank and how important he was within the military. They sparkled in the sunlight as he walked up the steps alongside the rest of his squad who was dressed in the same fashion.

They were greeted by a few of the officials who were currently guarding the place as they were to attend the meeting. One of them guided them into the main hall where the Queen and military officials were waiting for them.

Keith conducted the formal salute along with the rest of the squad. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Emilee roll her eyes in annoyance. It couldn't help but to put a smile on Keith's face. Historia nodded for them to take a seat at the chairs provided. The tension in the room was high and almost unbearable. Darius Zackly, Dot Pixis, Hange Zoe, and even Keith Shadis were present alongside Nile. Anyone who was anyone was present in the room to be a witness to this meeting.

He could see that it wasn't just the Commanders of each faction who were present, but a select few as well. Levi stood in a corner being the only other Survey Corps soldier present within the room. He could make note of a few Garrison soldiers as well as Lucas representing the other M.P's after being reinstated as a squad leader.

"Welcome," Historia began, "I assume that you five must be wondering why you were summoned."

"Of course, your majesty," Keith replied with a slight bow of his head.

"Captain Aberdeen, is it correct to say that the recent development of a naval fleet has been underway?"

"That is correct. Ships that can withstand the ocean have been completed. We are now looking to train those in preparation for the upcoming travels."

"And is correct to say that you yourself are from outside of these walls."

"Yes, as it has been stated before. I, Lucas Anderson, and Lana Ackerman were born outside of these walls."

"Therefore you three are the only people who have full knowledge of what the outside is like aside from what we can gather from texts and other books."

"I would assume so, yes," Keith replied unsure as to where the conversation was going.

He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on him. The tension in the room was making him oddly nervous.

"In that case, I propose that you and your team will take on a mission. As discussed prior to this meeting, we are in fact unprepared."

Keith felt a bit of relief come over him. After speaking to many people in regards to how they needed an upper hand in the upcoming fight, it was now coming into the light.

"Aberdeen, the information you have gathered from the outsider a while back has proven useful in developing some sort of tactics. However, we need an insider. Someone who can start taking action without the enemy knowing," Nile stated.

"We want to be able to see how they tick. We want to know what we can do to reduce the amount of casualties on our end," Hange continued.

"What are you suggesting?" Emilee questioned sitting on the edge of her seat.

"We want you to go in. We want you to sail beyond the ocean and start the war just like how they tried with us," Hange responded.

"But that's suicide!" Mia cried out.

Keith placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. He stared down at Historia who bore a serious expression on her face. It was clear that this is what they wanted. They wanted the team to go to Marley and start taking them out from the inside out. However, this is not exactly what Keith had in mind. He began to think things through and decided to propose a counter.

"I'd like to make a rebuttal," he stood up to stand his ground.

Historia nodded her head to allow Keith to continue.

"It is to our understanding that you want us to go directly to Marley and walk among the people. However, that may just be something they might expect. Besides, we aren't too sure who they will recognize and who they won't. Mia is right, it's putting ourselves at too much of a risk, especially in a ship that would be docking right in their harbor. What I suggest is that we do make the trek across the ocean, but not to Marley. I believe that we can make progress if we reside within a neighbouring nation."

"And what nation do you suggest?" Dot asked.

"Rhea, where I'm from. I was born in the city of Drokish, the capital. There is a dock within that city where we can arrive safe and soundly. That way we can get a feel of the situation that is at hand. We can gather information in regards to the current status of Marley without going into the belly of the beast itself."

Everyone turned to each other and began to speak amongst themselves. Keith glanced over to Lucas who had his hand to his face in embarrassment. Keith grimaced believing that the plan was not going to go through like he had wanted. Things changed when everyone quietened down as Historia stood before them.

"You wish to return to Rhea to help our fight against Marley."

"Yes, your majesty."

"You are aware that beyond these walls there will be no form of contact between your team and the people here."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Very well. Your will leave a month from now for Drokish. There you are tasked to gather information in preparation of the fight. This will be on the agreement that you will set foot on Marley within one year of being on Rhea."

Keith looked at the others who shared the same levels of uncertainty as he did. He turned back to Historia and nodded to comply with her rule.

"During your time on Rhea you will report to us within the walls and only us by using a courier pigeon. This will enable us to plan ahead and be prepared. Should you feel the need to, you may return to Paradis. Do you have any questions?"

Keith turned to the others once more who shook their heads. He looked up at Lucas who nodded his head.

"I have one request," Keith said hesitantly still staring at Lucas. He turned to Historia and pointed at Lucas, "He comes with us."

Lucas unfolded his arms and stared at Keith in bewilderment. He could tell that Lucas wanted to blow his lid. He kept his cool and accepted the fate that was going to be before him.

"Very well, if that is the only other term."

Lucas smacked his face in response not believing that he just got pulled into the mission along with Keith. Right away Keith knew that Lucas was never going to forgive him for it. However, in Keith's eyes it was another adventure and he never wanted to go on an adventure without Lucas. Lucas was his partner in crime and that's how he always saw it. He needed him to come with him to make things a little more enjoyable.

What remained fact now was, that Keith had to select people to be their replacement for the time that they would be gone. There was no telling how long they were going to be gone for. During the meeting it was declared that they needed to stay on Rhea for at least a year and then move on to Marley. That meant that more than a year away from Paradis was going to happen.

The thought of being gone for so long pained him a little. For leaving Paradis, meant leaving his family. He was going to miss birthdays and holidays, family gatherings and celebrations. He wasn't going to be around for the laughter and the tears. He needed to prepare himself mentally and emotionally for the mission that was going to be at hand. It was especially hard given the fact that he had become emotionally distant already since the drug investigation. His mindset was not where it used to be, almost as if he were not like himself anymore.

Nile gave everyone going on the mission relief of their duties until their departure. However, it was part of their agreement with everyone that they would not inform anyone of the full mission. They were able to tell their loved ones that they were going to be gone for a long time, but they were not allowed to disclose any other information. As part of the agreement as well, Keith would see the Tulp Doctors and have samples taken from him in the off chance that he would not make it back.

Keith walked into his home to see Robin writing at the table. She perked up and smiled at him as he walked through the door.

"You know I really do love that uniform on you," she sparkled.

Keith twirled as if he were wearing a dress, "Really, because I feel like it make my hips look big."

The two shared a laugh with one another as Sebastian came barreling through the door with a friend. It was the daughter of Allen Strype, a Survey Corps soldier that Keith graduated with back in their training days. Unfortunately, when the Beast Titan had first appeared within the walls, Allen fell victim to his might leaving his daughter Elizabeth and wife Kaitlyn.

"Dad, you remember Liz right!"

"Of course, the little engineering prodigy. How could I not remember you," Keith stated with a smile as he took his gloves off.

"It's good to see you again Captain!" she replied with a bright smile.

"Oh come on, you don't have to call me captain. Mr. Aberdeen is just fine," Keith told the girl as he tussled her hair.

The two ran off to play their game leaving him and Robin alone again. Robin asked him about the meeting having read the summons that he had left on the table. Keith came close to telling her about it but only explained to her that it was a mission that he would be going on. At the sound of the mission, Robin wanted to know more. Keith only told her that it was classified information and nothing more. He informed her that he wished to tell her more details, but he was unable to. He could see that it hurt her a little that she was left in the dark about what he was going to be doing, but knew that there was nothing more that he could do or say.

Keith did tell her that he was going to be gone for a long time and was unsure of when he would return. This concerned Robin even further. She was upset and had every reason to be. Keith knew that this was going to hurt them both. Being apart for so long and missing so much of each other. They were a huge portion of each other's lives. There was no telling what was going to happen.

As the days went by before the mission, Keith ensured that he did all that he could to make the most of it. He spent as much time with his family as he could. He even went as far as spending some alone time with his sister-in-law Alexandria. It was as if that darker side of him had vanished the more he spent with his loved ones.

One of the things he was going to regret was not being able to be around Sebastian as he develops. He made sure that he would be able to spend as much time with him and help him grow.

As the two of them were out in the yard practicing he couldn't help but to feel proud of what his son has become. He was watching his little boy grow up and it warmed him. He remembered being there when he first took his steps and when he said his first words. He remembered the day that they learned that he had titan powers.

During their spare time together, Keith ensured that he would teach Sebastian everything that he could about his titan powers and how to use them. He taught Sebastian how to fight, shoot a bow, hunt, carve, and so much more. He taught his son everything that his own father had taught him.

Sebastian had developed the same powers as his father and was currently practicing. Large bone spikes had formed from his shoulders and his back. They were pointing in several directions just like his father.

"Dad are you sure this is right?"

Keith took off his shirt and glasses to show Sebastian. The very same spikes had formed on Keith.

"Yeah, I'm sure that it's right. Now focus on the spikes and think about nothing else but retracting them back into your body."

The spikes on both Keith and Sebastian began to move back into their bodies as the two appeared to look normal.

"Now, I want you to shift," Keith said.

"Shift, but dad I can't."

"You need to stop thinking deeply about it. Just listen to your body. Just picture your body but bigger. There is nothing else I can say, it's more of a feeling. Something that overtakes you. Trust me, when I first shifted it was not easy. You can even ask Aunt Lana. She only learned how to shift because it was a fight or flight response."

Sebastian groaned and threw his head back. Keith walked over to him and grabbed his shoulders.

"Just think big and we'll go from there. So far we've been doing nothing else but small scale transformations. Now it's time to get serious."

Sebastian shook himself away from his dad. He began to jump on the spot and closed his eyes. By breathing in deeply and slowly Sebastian focused on nothing else that was going on around him except for his own body. Keith stood back and waited to see what was going to happen. He wondered if it was even possible for him to shift. Considering how Sebastian was a half-blood, there was the possibility that this was an ability that he would not have.

Two minutes had gone by and nothing was happening. At this point Keith would have given up himself, but he watched his son trying the best that he could to make it happen. Keith believed in him and wanted nothing more than for him to succeed. Robin had joined Keith asking him how the training was going. She looked at Sebastian and sighed at how hard he was trying.

Just when they were about to tell Sebastian to stop for the day a gust of wind kicked up from beneath Sebastian's feet. It wasn't just any wind, it was the heat that Sebastian was giving off. It created an updraft kicking up the dust and formed a tornado like structure around him. Keith stared in amazement as Sebastian had finally begun to shift. Although, unlike Keith's and Lana's transformations bursts of lightning had appeared within the dust.

When everything had settled, what stood before them was a ten meter class titan. The titan before them was skinless and covered in a bone armor. Spikes had formed over top of the armor in the same way that they were positioned before. Bones had formed around his head like a helmet allowing him to peer through openings and leaving his jaw completely exposed.

"You did it!" Keith called out.

Sebastian let out a loud growl. Something was wrong. It was almost as if he was unable to create any words. No matter the circumstance, Keith was proud that he was able to finally accomplish what they had set out to do.

Robin stared in amazement at her son. Sebastian was in the form for only a few minutes before he began to sway. Keith right away knew what was happening and transformed himself. He turned just in time to catch Sebastian who had collapsed. Sebastian slowly began to transform back in Keith's arms as Keith did the same. The young boy rested in his father's arms, over spent from the latest training. Robin hurried over to the two of them concerned for his well-being. Keith reassured her that this was normal and carried him back inside where he would rest.

When Sebastian woke up, Keith was right by his side.

"Dad," he groggily called out sitting up from his bed.

"Hey kiddo, great work today," Keith whispered.

"Dad what happened to me?"

"It seems you just spent a little more energy than you had, that's all. But you did it! But I have to ask, why didn't you just shift into yourself but bigger?"

"That's the thing dad. When you told me to think of my body but bigger, it wasn't working. But when I thought about shifting in general that's when things began to grow fuzzy."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know dad. It's hard to explain. But when I pictured myself as some sort of titan was when I felt really hot. Then I remember the dust and then being really big. I tried to talk to you but it was as if my body couldn't."

"Interesting, well I wouldn't worry too much about it. It may just be possible that you can't shift just like your dad here. Either way, more practice will tell us more."

Keith got up and began to leave the room. Sebastian called out to him.

"Dad, there is something I want to talk to you about."

Keith turned around and walked back towards him. "What is it?"

"I want to join the military when I'm old enough."

It took Keith completely by surprise. He wasn't sure how to respond or how to even feel.

"What makes you want to do that Seb?" he asked sitting back down in the chair.

"If I can master my powers, I want to be useful. Everything that you've taught me and everything that I've worked on. I want to be able to do what I can for the people."

"Sebastian," Keith began calmly, "If joining the military is what you want to do, then I won't stop you. I just want you to know that what you are getting yourself into is something very serious. The type of stuff we do in the military that isn't always available to the public can be very hard to deal with. Just know that this is going to be something that you will have to endure."

Sebastian nodded in response and pulled his knees to his chest.

"If this is really what you want, then I will support you. No matter what decision you make, just know that I will always be there by your side."

"Thanks dad," Sebastian quickly turned and grabbed Keith in for a hug.

A few days later Keith was greeted by Lana. She had heard from Robin that he was going to be sent away on a mission. She hated the idea of not being able to see him, but knew that what he was doing had to have been very important. She was supportive of him and his decisions and left it at that.

As the two were sharing a discussion with one another, Sebastian was trying to reach something on the top shelf of a bookshelf. Without Keith knowing, he had grabbed a chair to reach a book that was up high. In the process of reaching for the book he had fallen off of the chair and knocked the contents of the shelf off.

"Are you ok!" Lana quickly asked him.

Sebastian quickly got up from the ground gave her a thumbs up. A small cut on his forehead was healing with a small amount of stem rising from the wound. The new glasses on his face were not as lucky.

"Your mom is going to kill you," Keith commented pulling the glasses off. "We just got these for you and you already broke them."

"Sorry dad," he sheepishly replied.

Keith turned his focus from the broken glasses to the contents that had fallen off of the shelf. One of them being the box that had his father's gun. The box had broken and the gun had fallen out.

"And look what you did," Keith scolded placing the glasses on the table and turning to pick up the box. "Do you not realize what this is?"

Sebastian avoided eye contact, "I'm sorry."

Keith gave out a growl in frustration as he placed the broken box on the table with the gun.

"It's not perfect, but it's a fix!" Lana tried to lighten up the mood by handing the glasses that she fixed back to Sebastian.

She turned to examine the broken box as Keith held onto the gun. There was something weird about the box. A piece that had broken revealed that there was something within the top of the box. It was tucked inside the lining and slightly poking out where the box had broken.

"That's odd," she said walking closer to it.

She pulled out pieces of paper that were tucked within. Keith snatched the papers out of her hand and was shocked to see what was written on them. It was written in a language that he knew all too well. It was written in the language of his people. It was also written by his father. He began to read it to himself.

"Wait, you can read that!" Lana shouted.

Keith shushed her as he read the contents of the letter that was addressed to him.

Keith Thomas Aberdeen, my dearest son,

You mean the world to me. You always have and you always will. Although we weren't a part of your life for very long, always know that your mother and I will always loves you no matter what.

I am writing this to you for you to read when you are old enough to understand the world around you. When you may read this, I do not know, but I do know that at this point in your life you must have grown to be a fine man. A man that I am damn proud of.

There are some things in this world that you may not know of. Some things that you may not understand and you find yourself constantly asking yourself the same questions over and over again. In this letter I hope to answer at least one of those questions.

It all started when your mother and I left our homes. The two of us wed and began to start our happy lives together. As you already know we were mercenaries. Assassins who were paid to kill in the underworld. We were wanted for criminal acts, but we were only just cleaning up the streets.

After your mother and I married, we were discovered by the Crovus Clan. As members of the clan we were branded with the infamous mark on our bodies. We vowed ourselves to obey the rules and regulations of the clan. Making the promise to use our skills and talents to strengthen the clan. We were given various jobs from assassinations to theft. However, we were unaware of their intentions until we were too far deep. We had to remain careful with ourselves and kept our life a secret.

We are not the only ones out there. There are many other titans just like us. The very same beings from many years ago. Many of us are in hiding, trying to keep our unique powers a secret from the outside world. Others had fled to other countries in the hopes of living normal lives. In the end we all live lives of concealment, constantly afraid of being discovered for who we are.

As titans, you very well understand that our powers must remain hidden for the sake of our lives. The king and his family have constantly hunted us down since the minute that his ancestor became the king and overthrew the Weismann line. However, what was to come was a horrific event.

Many of our kind were separated, being picked off one by one. Once separated we were beaten and broken upon near death. Even our own powers couldn't save us. All for the sake of science and preventing the risk of regaining the throne. Our people were being experimented on one by one. As the years went on less and less known titans were heard of. We started becoming a legend or myth, something of a story. Even the knights refuse to admit our existence. Those of titan blood are charged of other means before being executed or exempted to experiments. Now we just live in shadows of our dark history as people have begun to hunt us down. Pushing us to reveal who we are for us only to be captured.

Titans were being sold within the black market to a scientist who goes by Doctor Rogers. He made a deal to those who would bring him titans. He made the promise of a powerful serum that would give them unbelievable abilities. The same power that King LeBlanc had used to overthrow the throne. However, the original documents were lost once the King had won the throne. For many years there were plenty of people trying to recreate the mysterious concoction. Most were unsuccessful. As the years had gone by there were less and less people who were interested aside from the royal scientists and the very few scientists within the underworld.

Those who resulted from the failures were deemed as "Unwanted" as they were unwanted by the very men who had created them. They were killed on the spot but some escaped every now and again and roamed the land when your mother and I were young. They were like mindless creatures who ate people they came across. The only thing that seemed to kill them were by cutting the neck and often severing the spinal column.

You're probably wondering why I know so much about this. Well you seem, the Crovus Clan became heavily involved in the matters. Doctor Roger's himself used to be a scientist of the royal family but was casted aside after continuous harassment of the young princess. Denied access back into the kingdom, the doctor continued his research in the underworld. Just as he had done with the Crovus Clan, he had become close to the Sidonia family.

Long ago the Sidonia family was a strong and powerful aristocratic family. They were very obedient to the royal family and were referred to as the new Royal Sword. Some claim that it was the Sidonia family who should have been the rightful family to achieve the crown for leading the revolution against King Weismann. The family dwindled to a small handful who had turned their backs against the monarchy but were still considered aristocrats of great nobility as long as they had the seal of their family name. They were anarchists who believed that they were the rightful rulers. When they heard of Doctor Rogers and his research they sought out to find him.

The Sidonia family and the Crovus Clan worked together under Doctor Cornelius Rogers in the hopes of his work becoming successful. The two groups had worked together in the hopes of finding titans for his research, using any means necessary. Neal Sidonia was capable of using his aristocratic ties to hide any messes that either side had created.

Cornelius married to a member of the Sidonia family. The two gave birth to a daughter Caroline who continued his work after Cornelius' death at such a young age. A deal was made with Caroline Rogers of the Sidonia family and the Crovus Clan. She would grant the Crovus Clan the power and respect they deserve as long as they use the power to overthrow the current king.

Neal Sidonia and his wife created a circus. It was a cover for them to gather information. Neal would travel to other lands to gain recruits with many skills. Along those travels he would gather interesting information. The information was always shared with the Corvus Clan and this the bond was shared. However, it always felt like the Sidonia's were gathering skillful people to betray us. To be able to take care of everything on their own and leave the Crovus Clan with nothing.

Now you are probably wondering what all of this has to do with you and what has happened to us. As this information may not be relevant to you now, it is something that you must know. I cannot say that your mother and I were not a part of the titan hunts and the deals that were made for power. We concealed all of what we are to them.

When you were born it was one of the happiest moments of our lives. The man who brought us into the Corvus Clan was there at the time of your birth. Although it was an accident, he learned of who we are and what we are. We pleaded to him to not release this information to the others. Out of relief he did not and kept his word. He promised that if anything were to happen to us that he would help take care of you. Carl McGill, I will always owe him a great debt for your safety.

Your mother and I trained you the best that we could. We wanted to make sure that you would be able to defend yourself the best that you could. We even brought along on some of our missions. You learned a lot from us and I am proud of you.

Everything seemed like it would work out in the end for our little family. That was until things between the Crovus Clan changed. During one of our missions your mother received an injury that would be fatal to most. However, she was able to heal herself. The problem was she was healing in front of other members. The discovery that we were titans had proven to be a great risk to us. There were a few who still considered us as friends. However, there were more than a few who wanted to be detained and brought to Caroline. Those who were against the wishes of Caroline protected us the best that they could, but the burden that we felt was too much. We had a friend attack both of us in the middle of the street in broad daylight to reveal who we are in front of many other people. We had fallen prey to the Knights of the Royal Army. As we tried to escape we had no choice but to use our shifting capabilities. We retreated to Carl who had kept watch over you as we hid and explained everything to him. We knew what we were doing and it was all for the sake of your future.

It was in our best interest to have you removed from the Crovus Clan. To them they would think that we had killed you for your own good. We both knew at this point that this was going to be the end for us. In our right mind we made the final decision. You were to go with Neal Sidonia and become a part of the Sidonia Circus. The idea was to hide you right under Caroline's nose.

Neal was good friends with Carl and me. When he learned of our powers he wanted nothing more than to help us. He was never one to approve of the titan hunting. Especially after his sister's death after trying to protect and raise a young female shifter. Her husband, a well-respected doctor, had come across ancestors of the Weismann line. We weren't the only ones who had discovered their whereabouts. There were others who had come across them and had taken the parents in cold blood after the woman had given birth to her daughter. The doctor fled with the child along with Neal's sister. However, their whereabouts were soon discovered. The child fled and the two were murdered in cold blood.

Just as his sister had done, Neal had promised to take you in and raise you like his own. You would not be Keith the son of two titan shifters detained and killed by the Royal Army. You would be Keith the son of two personal assassin' of a noblemen who were killed in action, adopted son to Neal Sidonia.

I am sitting down mere moments of being captured by the Royal Army. Your mother has prepared the box to conceal the letter and placed one of my most prized possessions. I hope that this letter has answered many of your questions. Please stay safe. The world is crazy and anything can happen.

I love you son,

Sebastian Aberdeen.

Keith let the words sink in. He could feel tears within his eyes after reading the truth behind things. Everything to him was clearer than ever. What he had always thought of was just a struck of fate, was really just a plan that was devised.

"Dad," Sebastian broke the silence.

Keith wiped the tears from his face and placed the letter on the table. He explained to Lana the contents that he read as he watched her jaw drop.

"This whole time," she whispered and covered her mouth. She too began to grow emotional at the realization that the truth was finally reveled.

The two of them had come to learn that the reason why so many of their kind had disappeared or gone into hiding was because they were hunted down and killed. They were killed due to the fact that they were experiments to the king. Their spinal fluid was used to create the serum, the very same type of serum that have been used on the titan shifters of Paradis.

"This matches what was said in the journal," Keith commented leaning back in the chair.

"The journal, what journal," Lana quickly asked.

"A few years ago, I went into the royal archives. I found a journal written by Prince Emil Weismann. The same prince that supposedly went missing years ago."

"Wait, that journal! But it was written in a different language…"

"Except for the last page," Keith finished her sentence.

"So you can read it, the entire thing?!"

"You can't read this at all can you?" Keith questioned holding up the letter than was written in the same language of the journal.

Lana shook her head in response and informed Keith that she didn't understand a thing that was written on the pages.

"This is written in an old language. I'm not sure if there are very many people who can even speak it to begin with. This-this is the language of our people, Lana. They say that this is the language of the titans and their descendants. My father taught me how to speak and write it. For the longest time it was the only language I knew. My parents would talk to me in this way and nothing else. I eventually started learning the language we speak now and well..." he trailed off.

"Teach me," Lana sharply asked slamming her hands on the table.

"I-I can't just teach you an entire language. Especially now, there isn't enough time. I leave in just two weeks."

"I don't care, teach me!" she got louder.

"Fine, fine. I'll teach you what I can but I can't make any promises that you'd be fluent."

Every evening Keith would teach Lana and Sebastian the language. Sebastian wanted to feel more connected to his titan blood and agreed to do this on his own. He was quicker than Lana and was able to pick up on it a lot smoother than she was.

While they were doing their evening practices, every morning Keith would train and work with Sebastian. He had begun to develop a lot more. He was getting stronger as each day went on. He went as far as to even challenge Keith to a match to see who would win. Keith won very quickly but Sebastian had learned much for the challenge.

The afternoons were spent with Robin and only Robin. He would hold her and kiss her. Clean with her and talk with her. He would do everything that he could with her to make up for the time that would be lost. He was reminded each day of her beauty and grace.

Keith watched Robin hang the laundry out to dry. Her long thick brown hair danced in the wind. The sun shone on her beautiful skin as it made her brown eyes sparkle in its light. He did nothing more than stare at her beauty. He couldn't help but to smile at how perfect she was to him. She could think otherwise, but he would always tell her how beautiful she was in his eyes. He was in love, and that was all there was to it.

The time finally came. A carriage awaited to take him to begin the convoy to their mission beyond the walls. Everyone was there to wish him goodbye. There were many tears as Keith had to be ripped apart from his family. He clutched onto Robin not wanting to let her go. The two embraced in a kiss and held onto each other for as long as they could.

When they finally pulled away, he turned to Lana and gave her a hug. He kissed little Isabel and patted Erwin on the head. Alexandria was even choked up. He gave her a hug and told her that he would be back to annoy her soon. The last person was Sebastian who held onto a brave face.

Keith knelt down and presented Sebastian with a gift. It was the very same gun that was passed down to him. It was now time to pass it down himself to his son.

"I want you to have this. My father gave this to me and now I want to give this to you. Just promise me that you won't ever shoot it unless you feel like you really have to. I want you to be strong for me ok? You need to promise that you'll protect everyone ok?"

The words caused Sebastian to finally crack. He dropped the gun that he was given and grabbed Keith in a hug. Keith held onto his son as hard as he could. This was going to be the last time that he was going to see any of them for a while. He was unsure of when he would be back. He was even unsure if he would ever come back at all. There was always the looming threat that going over across the ocean was going to be the end to his own journey. There was always the possibility and he couldn't rule it out. He may be a titan, but he wasn't immortal.

Everything that was going on had to be carefully planned out. This was the start of the war.


	32. The Dragon's Den

It had been sometime since they had set out to sail. Most the squad were not adapted to the lifestyle on the sea. Neither was Keith or Lucas, but they at least managed to keep their meals down. The saltiness in the air was something that Keith remembered and dearly missed. He stood against the side of the ship and gazed out to the ocean. Its crisp dark blue waves crashed up against the ship's side. It was a matter of hours for them to land on Rhea. He was eager to be able to set foot on his homeland once again and b beyond the concrete walls. There was still a large part of him that regretted leaving his family behind. The idea that he couldn't tell any of them where he was going pained him the most.

Keith turned to see Mia sitting on the deck clutching onto a bucket. Emilee was searching for the land at the front of the ship. Luca was maintaining the ropes after dropping the sails while Oscar was sharpening some knives. Lucas was manning the steering wheel and waiting for Rhea to come into their sights.

There were butterflies in his stomach as he turned back to the ocean. He rested his head on his hand as he leaned on the side.

"Hey Keith," Lucas called out to him.

Keith turned around to see what he wanted.

"You might want to think about putting on a shirt soon," he shouted.

The squad turned to stare at Keith to see what Lucas was talking about. It took Keith a moment to realize what Lucas was referring to. He looked down at his bare shoulder to see the Crovus Clan mark firmly planted in black ink. The mark itself had stretched over the years but it was still distinguishable as the symbol of the notorious clan.

Keith immediately covered his mark up with his hand as he went in search for his shirt. It was at this time that the squad questioned why the mark needed to be covered. It had occurred to Keith that he never once told the squad about his past, nor did he give them any information in regards to Rhea itself. He explained to them as much as he could while skipping a few details here and there.

Once Keith had finished explaining, Rhea was already approaching. Keith came to the realization that there were still a few key components that they needed to prepare for before they could step foot on the land.

"Everyone I want you to remove any piece of your uniform and change into something else," he ordered.

"What why?" Mia groggily asked.

"Our goal is to blend in. Wearing our uniforms isn't exactly what I would call blending in. On top of that other people aren't fully aware of the existence of Paradis. They don't even know that the island has people on it. If anyone asks where you are from, just claim that you are from the capital. We want to keep Paradis a secret for as long as we can, not for our sake but for the sake of those back home."

Everyone agreed and started to make their way to change out of their uniforms and into something else. Keith stopped them before they could make it very far.

"One more thing. I will warn you now. When Lucas and I lived there, the technology was very different than what you will find on Paradis. What they are like now, is something that I couldn't even tell you. So please keep this in mind while interacting with others."

They steered themselves into the harbor and dropped their anchor. Their ship appeared to be outdated when compared to the other ships resting there. Keith was afraid that something like with was going to happen.

They started to get off the ship and were greeted by two officials on the dock. They were dressed in a uniform and had rapiers and rifles strapped to them. Keith glanced over to Lucas with an extreme level of uncertainty. He was unsure if their plan was going to work at all. The men before them were the Royal Knights of Rhea. They were the military who ensured that law and order where implemented much like what Military Police Brigade do.

"State your business," one of them called out gazing at piece of paper as he wrote notes down.

"We are travellers. We are just here for visitation only," Lucas replied humbly.

The two knights looked up at them and didn't say a word. Their stares showed signs that they lacked trust in them. However, they didn't ask any further questions. With a great deal of relief, they were allowed access to the city of Drokish.

"Well guys, welcome to my hometown," Keith gestured with his arms wide out.

The minute that they stepped out into the streets of Drokish they were taken back but the sight. It was definitely something that none of them were used to seeing. All of the streets were well paved. There were people riding two wheeled contraptions. The attire of the locals were different as well. It was something that even Keith and Lucas didn't recognize. It made them feel out of place as a few people stared at the strangers.

Keith and Lucas were able to at least make their way around the city. They remembered key features and were able to locate a place for them to spend their time within the city. The plan was to just relax for a day and then create an overall plan of action.

Everyone was paired off into twos and had their own rooms. When Keith and Lucas walked into theirs, they couldn't help but to notice how dark it was. As he was rubbing his eyes, Keith reached up against the wall and found a switch. Without any thinking, he flicked the switch turning on the light that was hanging from the ceiling. He immediately opened his eyes with one hand still on his face and the other still on the switch. He realized what he had just done and looked up and back down to Lucas who was looking up at the light. The two shared a laugh at the thought of what they were missing out on and the realizations that old habits die hard.

They had been used to using lamps to light the rooms that they had forgotten what it was like to have a form of electricity to light the room. Although, when they were growing up it was still a new concept and only fancier places had it. When they would lodge at places that hired the circus, they would often find themselves accustomed to it. Even after the years had gone by, it was still an instinct to turn the light on by a switch.

It was late at night as Keith laid in his bed wide awake. He still couldn't really believe that he was back. He clutched onto the mark on his shoulder as it reminded him of the things he had to go through to get to where he is now. The tragic past made for a better future in his eyes. He was thankful for the outcome, but he was scared for what was to come in the near future. If they were going to get information in regards to Marley his best option was to get information from people who work in the dark. He wanted to go right to the source of things, and the Crovus Clan was the place to go. However, it wasn't just the information he was looking for. At this point Keith thought more on the letter he read from his father. His hatred towards the clan had risen. Now was his chance for him to take revenge. He had the power and the strength, or so he believed. He wanted to prove to them that he was to not be taken lightly.

That morning everyone met up in the hallway. It was decided that they would go to a local pub to start their search. Keith made the order and was very firm on the choice. Lucas had a look of uncertainty on his face. He had a feeling that he knew what was going on in his mind and he didn't like it. Due to the interactions that the two of them had shared with the Crovus Clan, Lucas could smell the trouble. Although he agreed that it was a risk worth taking. The plan was to join a meeting and quietly listen in. If there was nothing of value then the plan would switch. Keith would subdue members of the Clan and force the information out of them.

They reached the pub that they were looking for where Keith remembered the clan holding their meetings. Keith kept walking through the pub as others followed him unsure as to why they weren't grabbing seats. Keith walked directly to the back where he met face to face with a tall well built individual. He had a scar running down his face as he looked to be a person you didn't want to mess with. Keith straightened up and demanded to go through the door that he was blocking.

"Forget it pipsqueak I ain't letting you through."

"Keith what are you doing," Lucas whispered into his ear.

Keith lowered his voice and stared at the man, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

The man questioned Keith's intentions and raised an eyebrow in response. Keith then proceeded to unbutton the top few buttons of his shirt. It was just enough to be able to expose the dreaded mark on his shoulder. It was clear to the man as he was immediately intimidated by Keith. His eyes widened in a sense of panic and he swallowed the spit in his mouth.

He opened the door to allow Keith to go through. However, the others were blocked from entering. Keith knew that this was going to happen and told them that he would take things from there. He walked down the steps and prepared himself to meet with those who were down below. The blood boiling in his veins with each step he took.

As he walked down the steps he could make out voices of various individuals. He counted the different voices he could make out. From the sounds of it there had to have been more than ten individuals in the room. He immediately knew that he was not in a good position. Alone, he was lucky to take on that many with his powers. However, these were highly skilled people a force that probably surpassed his own skill. These were also people who knew how to take down a pure-blood like himself.

He walked into a full room of various people dressed in different types of clothing. Most wore dark cloaks to conceal their faces while others wore regular civilian clothes. It was clear to Keith that he had joined them during one of the monthly congregations. It seemed like every member of the Crovus Clan was present. There were definitely more than ten people within the room.

As he entered the room, all eyes were on him. The room fell silent the more he pushed through. He pushed himself into the very center and made his presence known. Before him was a man who appeared to be the new leader of the clan. He was a man Keith recognized very well. Although he had aged considerably this was someone who made Keith's heart fill with hatred.

"Who in the blazes are you?" he shouted.

"I am Keith, a long forgotten member of the clan. I have come seeking information."

"Well I don't know you and I'm sure everyone else here can say the same."

"The funny thing is you all know me. Like I said, I am a long forgotten member."

"Get out before you make any decisions you may regret. You are messing with the wrong people."

"Says the man who was behind the death of my parents," Keith shouted as he started neglecting his duties. The anger that was within him was taking over his thoughts. He was too fixated on the fact that the people in the room had killed his parents. To him they were the monsters of his childhood. At that point he didn't care about the real reason why he was there.

"I've taken the lives of many people you're not special."

"Does the name Aberdeen ring any bells?"

The leader paused and recollected on the name, "Impossible, the blasted kid was supposed to be dead."

"Now, I've come for information and nothing more," Keith sternly stated as there were a few people closing in on him.

"You have a valuable head Aberdeen, it would be ashamed to let it go to waste. Then maybe we can give you the information you want. Besides, since that blasted Caroline disappeared, we've made new deals. So I'm sure if you don't mind us selling you to the Marleyan government, after all we did make a deal with them."

"Deal, what deal?" Keith questioned as people walked closer in on him.

"The Clan has always wanted more power while we lived in the shadows. We want full control of Rhea. By working with Marley we can take Rhea out right from under their noses. The shadows of the clan will consumer everyone and everything. Darkness will prevail," the leader shouted.

"You plan on a mass murder."

"If they aren't part of the clan then they deserve to die. Of course with Marley fighting Rhea we will slowly kill off any Marleyan and Rheans that survive the after math."

"Then why sell titans?"

"We ourselves can't have the titan power, but if we take the fighters who can and manipulate them into bringing them to our side than that is different. In order to get close to them, we need Marley to trust us. Therefore, we will bring weapons to them just to steal them when everything is over."

"We'll just see about that," Keith coaxed and tried to jump into the fight.

Keith turned to meet with a blade as it struck him in the shoulder at the same time another had been shoved into his side. With the two blades stuck deep inside of him, he would be unable to shift. Even if he were to pull them out, the wounds were deep enough to prevent him from shifting. He threw a punch at his two attackers as three others had grabbed him and pinned him up against a wall. Using all of the strength he could muster up he freed his elbow and swung it back at one of the attackers. He focused very hard on his back to produce spikes. He didn't think it would work, but he was fortunate enough. The spikes pierced through his attacker as they had become stuck to him.

Keith shook them off of his back and turned to ready himself in searing pain. Several others swung at Keith in complete synchronization with each other. As he dodged one person another was waiting just in time to land the punch. He knew that this was pointless and decided that it was best to try and escape.

As he had turned he had been pinned down to the ground. He landed face first onto the floor breaking his nose in the process. He could feel himself being stabbed once more in the shoulder blade. He reached up and managed to find the attacker's gun. He grabbed it and fired blindly. Thankfully the shot did not miss as he was able to get himself free.

He made his way to the stairs but was grabbed once more. Each time he was grabbed he fired the gun. Once he was free he only made a few steps before someone else had grabbed him. Eventually he managed to shake the last person off of him and swung the door open.

Although he had made it, the chase was not over. Shots were being fired as he dodged the bullets. His vision was starting to get fuzzy at the amount of blood he had lost, but he was able to keep going. The gunfire caught the attention of the others as they ran to see their bloody and bruised captain. Keith knew right away that if they really wanted to inflict damage on him they would have done so. They were just toying with him like a joke.

Lucas grabbed Keith to stabilize him as Luca and Emilee had turned to fire their own guns. Oscar and Mia fought people off to keep them away from Keith. It was at this moment that the clan members had become more serious in their attack. One of the clan members had managed to get past the gunfire and fighting to make it to Lucas who had made it towards the front door. They wore a dark cloak that concealed their eyes.

"Come with me if you want to be safe," she said.

She immediately turned and ran out of the front door. Lucas called for the others as he picked Keith up and swung him over his shoulders. Thankfully, the spikes on Keith's back had retracted back into his body, allowing there to be a much easier trek through the streets. Lucas didn't want to trust the person, but he didn't have much of a choice. Luckily the Crovus Clan did not follow behind them as they did not want to attract the attention of the Royal knights.

As they ran through the streets Mia shouted, "What happened! Who were those people and why did they attack Keith?"

"Do you remember Keith telling you all about that mark on his chest?" Lucas replied. "Well that was his clan. The same clan who thought that Keith was dead."

"Why did they attack him?"

"Keith isn't human, remember that. He probably has a high price on his head because of that. I don't know exactly what is going on, but that's what I can guess."

The stranger they were following was fast and hard to keep up with. Eventually they made it into an alley way. Within that alley was a door leading inside the back of one of the buildings. The stranger tapped a rhythm on the door and waited for someone to answer. When the door opened an older gentleman was present and eagerly let them all in. Keith was place gently on the ground. During the retreat he had fallen unconscious allowing his body to heal. The room began to fill with steam from his body.

"Explain yourself young lady!" the man shouted.

"I couldn't, I just couldn't," she began removing the hood to reveal her face. The girl looked to be around fifteen, her face covered in freckles. She had reddish hair that was braided at each side of her head. "He just walked in asking for information and then he said that he was an Aberdeen and then this happened. He's a titan like me!"

"Aberdeen?" the man turned to look at Keith. "There is no way."

"Papa, who is this man?"

"Where are the others?" he snapped at her.

"They should be on their way soon."

Keith began to cough up blood which concerned everyone. The man ordered the girl to grab some pillows and start cleaning up some of the blood and remove the knives that were still stuck in him. As they were cleaning Keith up they introduced themselves. The young girl's name was Piper Shinto and her grandfather was none other than Carl McGill.

As Keith was being taken care of, others had arrived. Jaclyn was an older woman who appeared to be around Carl's age. Piper's father Brutus was present alongside Carl's daughter Sitka. A man roughly the same age as Lucas and Keith introduced himself as Deck and his partner Suit. There were several others present within in the room and it was clear to Lucas that everyone was a Crovus Clan member.

Everyone was on edge as they felt like they were trapped. Piper spoke with a boy close to her age named Damien. He appeared to be a fairly frail boy. Almost too frail to be a clan member. However, all members were lethal nonetheless.

"What do you want with us," Lucas demanded.

"Quiet down Lucas or the whole neighbourhood will hear you," Keith quietly said as he began to sit up. He held onto his head as he adjusted himself on the ground.

"Keith you're ok!" Luca shouted with excitement as he slammed down to his knees to assist.

"It really is you isn't it," Carl proclaimed.

The still healing Keith was caught off guard and looked up at the older man. He analyzed every wrinkle and every mark on his face. His thin glasses sat on his nose as his eyes showed signs of amazement. Keith began to familiarize the face even though it had been twenty years.

"Carl…Carl McGill," he whispered to himself as he could feel the anger grow in him again.

"You look just like your mother Valerie, bless her soul," Carl replied as Keith slowly pulled himself off of the ground.

"You shouldn't be moving yet," Piper scolded.

Keith completely ignored her and the pain, and stared at Carl with an almost sinister glare. "You know Carl. Do you remember what I said the last time that you and I came face to face?" Keith cracked his neck in preparation. "I told you that I would kill you and any Crovus Clan member after what you let happen to my parents. Now I already had an unfortunate visit with other members, and I never did get a chance to have their blood on my hands," he shouted and lunged forward at Carl.

The skin melted away from Keith's arm as his muscles were enhanced. A shroud of bone covered his muscles as steam was emitted from the intense heat he was giving off. He aimed for Carl's face but was blocked by something completely unexpected. In that split second, a large rod like structure blocked his path. Upon closer inspection Keith recognized the material the rod was made of. It was composed of a bone like his armor. When Keith realized it, Jaclyn had approached and exhaled something into Keith's face. The substance had caused Keith to lose consciousness once more and collapse down to the ground.

The rest of the squad did nothing but watch everything unfold before. They didn't know what to do. It was out of fear that they couldn't move, but it was for the sake of their own lives. What they had witnessed was something extraordinary.

All of the clan members knew to be on the defensive side the minute that Keith had gotten up and cracked his neck. The second that he shifted his weight to start his charge, everyone else was already on the move. They moved so swiftly that Keith hadn't even realized it during his attack. However, it was what they did that was most incredible.

Deck had produced a bone rod from his hand and broke it off in time to meet with Keith's fist. Suit had grabbed Carl and turned his back to Keith to take the blow. His skin appeared to look thick and rather tough to the touch.

Brutus and Sitka had guns pointed at the back of Keith's head. Meanwhile a few others showed signs of non-human features. One person had elongated claws. They dove in between Carl and Keith and was prepared to jab claws into Keith's throat. A few others had blades of varying kinds aimed at Keith along with a few who stood back with pistols. Each remained still until Jaclyn had subdued him.

"Your friend will be alright. The gas isn't enough to kill him. It was just enough to put him to sleep," Jaclyn informed the others.

"What's going on here?" Lucas firmly asked ready for anything that was going to be thrown at him as the others feared for their lives.

"I would like to know as well," Keith groggily demanded as he sat up.

"How are you awake? You should be out for a few hours!" Jaclyn shouted in surprise.

"Remember Jackie, Keith is pure as well. His tolerance levels are most likely much higher than a normal human," Carl stated.

"What was that and how did you…"

"I bet you thought that you and your parents were the only ones hiding right underneath the enemies noses," Brutus proclaimed revealing sharp protruding fangs like a snake.

"You're…you're pure bloods?" Keith questioned.

"Not exactly," a woman pulled down her cloak. "You are a pure blood, we are not. A couple of us are half-blooded or a quarter at best. But we all have titan blood flowing through our veins nonetheless." She turned to gesture everyone in the room, "Each one of us has one way or another to prove it. Some more than others." She lifted up her hand to unsheathe the claws she had nearly dug into Keith's throat.

"Either way, we have all felt the torment that comes with being of titan blood," Jaclyn added.

"I knew that there had to be descendants but I never thought that I'd see this many in one place," Lucas proclaimed.

Deck sat up straight on the table he was sitting on, "Lucas Anderson, the infamous strongman of the Sidonia Circus. Born and raised within a small village in the mountains known as Volaire until he himself had moved on. Did you ever stop to think why your strength seems to naturally surpass that of a normal human? How you were able to do so much at such a young age. Did you ever think that maybe you too may have titan blood in your veins."

"Deck!" Piper shouted.

"He's right Piper. In this day and age anything is possible. Look at all of us in this room right now. Although a few of us seem to be more human than titan, it's still in us. Now Keith, he is a different story."

"It's because I'm pure isn't it?" Keith asked.

"And you're not the only one in the room who is."

"Tell me, what is really going on here? Why am I so different from the rest of you? Why should I even trust you to begin with? You are all Crovus Clan members. You all know what our code of conduct is."

A level of trust was to be established before Keith and the others could feel safe. It was Carl's decision to allow that trust to be built between the two groups.

It was true that there were others like the Aberdeen family among the Crovus Clan. What Keith didn't know was why. For centuries the titans of varying kinds were in hiding. Where most opted to stay out of sight and remain in hiding, there was a large number who were nomadic. Among them was Keith's own parents. The group that they were a part of had encountered the Crovus Clan before, but thankfully their secrets remained. Once his parents had joined the group others soon followed. A coalition was developed within the group underneath the leader's nose. It was a way for them to seek out other titans and try and help them. However, a price had to be paid if their own personal goal had failed for the sake of their Crovus Clan status. A few of them were sacrificed for the cause. In the end, those who were part of the coalition were lighting a fire within the Corvus Clan. They were planning on taking them down once and for all once they had the numbers.

Carl was introduced to the idea of equality for the titans when his daughter Sitka had befriended and soon married Brutus. Soon after he met Sebastian and Valerie Aberdeen and became very close to them. He saw them as no different as others. That's when it was decided that he would side with them in their fight for survival. There were other normal humans who joined them on their quest.

When the extermination of titans had begun and those who were captured were to be used as subjects for the King back when LeBlanc had taken the throne, numbers of pure blooded titans had already been diminished. Many titans were killed during the war and the aftermath of it. Most people saw them as a huge threat, a power and force to be taken down. Due to the superiority complex that King Weismann had, many people had begun to hate titans and those who had titan blood. Those not subjected to experimentation were slaughtered.

Eventually as the years had gone by the experimentations had slowly died off. Although there were no experimentations being conducted within the castle, there was still an underlying resentment to titans. In recent history the resentment derived from the Marleyan Empire rising to power using the power of the titans to transform people and gift them with the abilities. This was much like the power that LeBlanc had harnessed but his predecessors could never recreate. People began to have an increased hatred over many years over those with titan powers. The law remained and the reward for turning one in was still present.

Caroline Rogers, the doctor of the Sidonia Circus and niece of Neal Sidonia, was the mastermind who had taken over her father's research. Her father had originally conducted the research within the castle but was exiled after disobeying the current king's orders to end it. The Crovus Clan would give her the titans they captured and she would test them to try and make a serum of her own for the Crovus Clan. With this, the Sidonia's and the Crovus Clan would ally together and take over the kingdom of Rhea. However, when Caroline had travelled to Paradis with Keith and the others, she had fell victim to the very thing she was trying to recreate. With no one to continue the research, the Crovus Clan decided to go to the next best thing.

They developed a relationship with the Marleyan army. Knowing that they wanted to create a stronger empire, they promised to bring them subjects to be tested on for warfare. Those of titan blood were brought to Marley to test weapons of varying kinds just as Rhea had succumbed to do. In return, the Marleyan army promised to keep them safe once Rhea had been taken over. Never once was a pure blood or a half blood brought to them. Only those with increased healing or a small transformation ability.

The clan had a different motive. They wanted to take the titan powers from them by manipulating the Eldian soldiers to bring them to the Crovus Clan side once the fighting within Rhea would be over. Either way, the descendants of titans were found to be tested on, tormented, tortured, and even brought to death due to the mere fact that they were unique individuals.

"Over the years due to the massacre, those who were pure blooded titans became rare. Right now we only know of maybe five different individuals who are one hundred percent pure, you being included. And that's taking into consideration of the entire country." Sitka commented. "Everyone else is just like us. Either way we are being discriminated against because of old ways and the underlying threat of the Marleyan government. We aren't safe anywhere and I'm afraid that we may never be."

"When Marley took power of Eldia many, many years ago Rhea agreed to maintain an alliance and abandon what they had originally with Eldia. With Eldia out of the picture Marley rose to power. However, with the recent events that have taken place, I'm not as sure as to what's going to happen especially with the increasing growth of the Clan and the decreasing power of Marley. The looming threat over Rhea is like a dark cloud," Carl stated.

"What do you mean?" Keith questioned.

"Rhea had pulled out of the alliance. A few years ago, Marley had lost two of their strongest warriors," Brutus continued.

"Warriors? I've heard that term used before but what exactly are they?" Lucas asked.

"It's been said that Marley had developed a special program. Those enlisted within the program had special properties that are undefined. Either way a select few within that program are granted the power of a titan, but not like us. It's to our understanding for what we've can gather, that these titans are like puppets that encase the person within the neck. Kind of a way of being a titan without actually being a titan. This is the very thing that Leader Law was after. With two of them missing, even the clan was starting to pull out from the deal," Brutus continued.

"Either way, two of them disappeared from the radar. No one is really sure as to why but no one can confirm that they've seen them either," Deck proclaimed.

"What matters is that other nations are starting to see an opportunity. They were weaker. Marley has been a stronghold of power because of these titan intimidation. They are very powerful and very hard for us to deal with. On top of that they seem to have unintelligible titans like the ones documented in the Great Titan War of Rhea." Suit stated. "What we are looking at is a full on World War to take Marley down and to fight over the next nation to be on top. So far many of the nations had started dealing hard blows to Marley and their military. However, they always stand their ground because of those titans."

"And because of this we are viewed as even more of a threat than ever. The people are scared of us. We are monsters of destruction and death," Fey commented examining her unsheathed claws.

Mia stood up from her seat her hair swinging in the process from her abrupt movement. She frantically stood before everyone in the room as all eyes were on her.

"You are not monsters! I have seen the incredible things that people with that kind of power can do first hand! There have been times where I have feared for my life because of that power, but I have also seen the good that it can do! You are person no matter what. Do not forget that. Don't let your power define you! You are not a monster," she shouted passionately.

"Mia!" Luca called out to her to try and calm her down.

"Carl, what if our powers were for the sake of Rhea?" Keith began. It was clear that everyone was questioning Keith's thought. "Have you ever heard of a place called Paradis?"

It was at that moment that everything was shared. Keith informed the events that had taken place and why things happened to begin with. He explained to them that they were the ones who withheld the current Female Titan below the city and that one of their factions had two titan shifters of their own. He shared the information in regards to a serum that had been developed long ago and was currently being used on the Eldians to transform them into the type of shifters that they described. He informed that the Eldians of Marley were living in a similar way as the titan descendants were. However he informed them that they were secluded into specific area and labeled for who they are. The goals of Paradis is to reclaim the strength that Eldia had before and allow the people to be free once more, much like the desires of the titans of Rhea. In order to do this, those with titan powers were brought to the frontlines. In theory, if they wanted to be free of everything they had to prove to everyone how valuable they could be on their own. If they were to show that they could utilize their powers and protect Rhea from oncoming attacks of the war, then the people may welcome them a little more. By coming out of the shadows as well, the Crovus Clan would be reluctant on attacking.

Everything was out in the open between the two groups. Things began to make sense and correlate to each other and a pact was made. Those within the house had made the agreement to aid Keith and the others in the path to gather information to take Marley down. Although he was unsure of the next step beyond taking Marley down, they were the first priority.

Part of the pact suggested that Keith needed to help with the coalition that was mentioned. Keith humbly agreed believing that it was a moment of seeing eye to eye. The fight against Marley was also going to be a fight for the rights of the titan kind and the ability to live without fear. In order to do this, a new clan was to be established. With the naming of a new clan, they would be able to gather more members and perhaps destroy the Crovus Clan.

Keith and the others had started their work on separating those from the Crovus Clan into this new clan that they wanted to create. They managed to fight their way out and stand their ground taking down a few enemy clan members in the process. This was the first step that they needed to take to show that they were not hiding from the Corvus Clan anymore. Because they knew of the ways of the clan they were able to defend themselves against oncoming Crovus members. Meanwhile, they still gathered what information that could in regards to Marley and what was going on. Each week a message was sent to Paradis to relay the information.

A month later after much fighting, Keith and the others were brought to a temple far out from the city. It was run down and clearly aged.

"This temple was forgotten about long ago. It was only a few years ago that it was dug back out and uncovered. But even since then, no one seems to care about it," Sitka explained.

"What is this place?" Keith asked as he walked through.

He was welcomed into a hallway that had a ceiling of at least thirty meters tall. The temple was underneath the ground in a tomb like structure allowing for the taller ceiling and the well-hidden entrance. Within the hall there was a variety of statues of tall people carrying weapons and wearing varying armor. However, some of the armor seemed to be very peculiar.

"This was the temple of the titans. Long, long ago before our kingdom was even established, the titans were perceived as Godlike figures. Temples like these were created but most of them were destroyed. This is one of the last ones that still stands. The name Rhea derives from a language meaning giant. Our ancestors were worshipped for protecting the land and everyone who lived on it. They were the guardians to not only our nation but to others as well."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, there is documented proof that our ancestors did not just live here in Rhea. Although, in other societies they may not have been referred to as titans. Because our kind can take on different shapes and forms, they were all given different names. And because there are those who are demi they were recognized as something different entirely. Kind of like the minotaur."

"The what?"

"Never mind ignore what I said. I like your hair cut by the way. It makes you look much older and mature," she pointed out.

"Really, you think so," Keith commented rubbing the now shaven sides of his head and running the tuff of hair that was on top of his head.

They entered a large room that was lit up by giant lanterns. The other titans where present waiting for their arrival along with a couple more that Keith had not met. Since Keith knew that he was going to remain within Rhea for a long time, he decided to start developing some roots once more. As an official part of the coalition it was finally time to develop a clan of their own.

Everyone had revealed their Crovus Clan marks and awaited for the next step. One by one using ink, the notorious crow was turned into something else. To mark the creation of this new clan they wanted a way to signify themselves and their beliefs. It was decided that an emblem of a dragon would be created to mask the crow. The dragon would represent their strength and power but also be represented as a guardian to them. Although, no one could explain why the ink stayed in their skin, what mattered to them was that it remained.

Those who were Crovus had abandoned the clan for their new one. It was decided that the clan would be referred to as Der Wächter or The Guardians. They wanted the faith in the titans to be restored. They wanted to be recognized as normal citizens. That wanted the same peace that they had once before. They were going to fight for Rhea in the war.

With the new clan in development along with the target goal of gathering information, Keith and the others set out to start strengthen the presence of the titans. A plan would be devised to fight for their equality as regular citizens and have changes in the laws and ways. Everyone agreed that they would not shed blood of the innocent. They wanted to be recognized like their ancestors and live in peace. They wanted to be like the guardians of long ago.

Things had been moving very quickly. Before Keith knew it, four months had already gone by since they had arrived on Rhea.


End file.
